«0 PHYSIC. 



admitted not to be of an inviting aspect; but it is not in reality quite so 

 barbarous as it appears to the beholder. The point which projects from 

 one side of the blade marks the extent of its cutting surface, and indicates 

 the size of that puncture which the fleam can leave behind. It is more 

 safe than the lancet, which, though of a more innocent aspect, has in- 

 flicted wounds of awful dimensions. For the last reason, the employment 

 of the lancet by veterinary surgeons is not to be commended. 



Above the cutting point of the fleam, and upon the opposite side of 

 the blade, is seen what is intended to represent a bulging piece of metal. 

 That indicates the place which the operator occasionally strikes with the 

 side of his hand ; its intention is to afford a blunt surface for delivery of the 

 blow. It is advantageous to possess a fleam of the above form, because, 

 under rare circumstances, the possibility for which it provides may be 

 encountered; but for general use a blood stick is more instantaneous, 

 and is more certain in its result; wherefore it is to be preferred to 

 the human hand, as giving the smarter impetus to the blade. 



A BLOOD SUCK, WHICH IS LOADED AT THE LARGER END. 



A blood stick is merely a hard piece of wood, six or eight inches long, 

 and turned in a lathe till it has assumed the above form. The larger end 

 is then hollowed ; the cavity is loaded with lead. Such a tool, though 

 very diminutive, can be made to deal a heavy blow, and it is quite power- 

 ful enough to send the point of the fleam through the skin and thin 

 layer of muscular fiber which externally cover the jugular vein. 



However, before any attempt is made to bleed the *horse, the animal's 

 eyes should be bandaged. This should invariably be done before the 

 fleam or blood stick are produced ; as some quadrupeds show their intel- 

 ligence by dreading the operation which most veterinary surgeons regard 

 with complacency. Many persons doubt whether beasts are gifted with 

 imagination ; but it is not rare to encounter a steed which will stagger 

 at the sight of a fleam, and when the blood stick and can are produced, 

 will give every indication of approaching syncope. Consequently, if the 

 reader is determined to have his horse depleted, let the eyes be disabled 

 before any instrument is produced, more especially before the stick is 

 attempted to be employed. Most animals, from natural timidity, shrink 

 if they can discern when the blow is about to be delivered, and the 

 pomt of the fleam is thereby frequently displaced. "fl^. 



