THE SUMMERING OF HUNTERS. 135 



salt washed out. In nibbing it in, less pieces of it 

 are to be applied at one time, or it runs down the 

 parts beneath, and '' scalds" the hair off, and may 

 blister also. In all blistering operations it is well 

 to besmear the parts beneath with a little hog's lard 

 before commencing, as it protects them. Especially" 

 is this desirable, indeed absolutel}^ necessary, in 

 blistering the back tendons of a leg. The heel 

 shonld be first Avell larded, or blistering of it may 

 be followed by painful results from two causes : — 

 1. The skin here is delicate and sensitive ; 2. The 

 skin here creases when the foot is flexed. To blister 

 any skin that is liable to repeated creasing, such as 

 that in hollow of heel, that behind the knee joint, 

 is bad practice, and is likely to give trouble. The 

 best " all-round ointment" we know is made by 

 mixing ordinary fly blister with the biniodide or 

 mercury blister, half and half, or perhaps one part 

 of the latter to tAvo parts of the former. Fly blister is 

 bought ready made,— a practice which cannot be too 

 strongly condemned. Many horses are blemished 

 for life, and not a few killed outright by blistering 

 with '' fly" blister, as sold by many druggists at an 

 enormous price, and mixed with all kinds of dis- 

 astrously harmful ingredients, such as Venice tur- 

 pentine, spirit of turpentine, euphorbium, corrosive 

 sublimate, sulphuric acid, <fec. Pure blister only 

 should be used, and the horseman should either 

 make it himself or get it made by a respectable 



