THE SUMMERING OF HUNTERS. 129 



flammation of any part anywhere, occurring at or 

 near the surface of the body. When inflammation 

 smoulders in a part week by week, or it may be 

 month after month, some of the products of inflam- 

 mation becon:ie solid more or less, and the part 

 afl'ected is then enlarged, thickened, and hardened. 

 AVe said this of the surfaces which secrete the oil 

 for the greasing apparatus when they are exposed 

 for long to over- work. Mercury acts by breaking 

 np the solid remains of inflammation and allowing 

 the broken up particles to regain the blood-stream, and 

 thus get carried away out of the body. Mercurial 

 ointment has to be persistently rubbed in, but the 

 oleate of mercury is only to be spread lightly over 

 the parts with a brush, otherwise it might act as a 

 blister or produce a crop of pustules on the skin. 

 Mr. John Marshall, the eminent surgeon of University 

 College Hospital, introduced the preparation to the 

 medical profession, and he says, "the preparations 

 are cleanly and economical, and have a much greater 

 diffusibility or penetrating power than the old mer- 

 curial ointment, for they are absorbed by the skin 

 with remarkable facility, and manifest the remedial 

 effects with great promptitude." 



The oleate of mercury can only be procured from 

 the best chemists, but any chemist can procure it 

 for a customer. There are three different strengths 

 of it— a 5 per cent., a 10 per cent., and a 20 per 

 cent, solution. The most useful for veterinary 

 purposes is the 10 per cent. Fortunately, oleic 



K 



