590 BLISTERING. 



that two inflammations seldom exist in the vicinity of each 

 other ; therefore, when such an affection has taken place 

 in any part, and we wish to remove it, we attempt to raise 

 an artificial inflammation in the neighbourhood by means of 

 blisters ; which, if persevered in, destroy, or at least lessen, 

 the original one. Occasionally also we blister the imme- 

 diate inflamed part, with an intention to hasten the suppu- 

 rative process by increasing the activity of the vessels ; as in 

 deep-seated abscesses, and also in those which attack 

 glandular parts. We, therefore, employ blisters*to hasten 

 the maturation of the tumours in strangles. When the 

 flagging powers vacillate between resolution and suppu- 

 ration ; as they often do in the phlegmonous inflammations of 

 glandular or of deep-seated parts ; blisters may either hasten 

 the resolution, or they may add their influence to the 

 attempted suppuration, and thus bring it to maturity. But we 

 carefully avoid, in other cases, applying a vesicant to apart 

 immediately in a state of active inflammation : particularly 

 we should avoid what is too often done, that of blistering 

 over the tendons, ligaments, and articulatory surfaces of 

 a tumid limb, labouring under a congested state of the 

 parts from excess of vascular action. Here we should do 

 great injury were we to blister, by causing a greater de- 

 posit of lymph, and by hastening its organization into an 

 injurious bond of union between the inflamed parts. The 

 vesicatory or blister, for general use in veterinary medicine, 

 as a simple stimulant, should be principally composed of 

 Spanish flies. Cheaper substitutes are used, but they 

 irritate violently : in extensive inflammatory affections, 

 they are on this account perfectly inadmissible ; and 

 wherever a case requires any thing more it will be noted. 

 The mode of blistering with the Spanish fly, is sufficiently 

 known. The hair should be cut or shorn as close 

 as possible from around the part ; the blistering matter 

 should then be well rubbed in for ten or fifteen minutes. 

 If the pasterns and fetlocks are the parts to be blistered, 

 previous to rubbing in the ointment, smear some lard, 

 tallow, or melted suet, over the heels, and within the hollow 

 at the back of the small pastern. This will often prevent 

 some troublesome sores forming, from the blistering oint- 

 ment falling on these sensitive parts. While a blister is 



