110 The Care of Animals 



curely tied in a knot. Otherwise, the horse, getting the 

 blister on the tail and then switching other parts, may 

 cause a blister wherever the skin is thin. The horse's 

 head should also be tied so that he is unable to reach 

 the blistered part with his nose, or there will be a 

 larger blister on his nose than on the original part. It 

 is a good plan to tie a horse so short that he cannot lie 

 down while the blister is retained. In the course of three 

 or four weeks the part may be treated again, if necessary, 

 but the second blister should be very light, as the part 

 is tender and the drug acts quickly. When a part is 

 blistered too severely the tissues may be destroyed and 

 slough out, leaving a bad sore and finally a scar; or 

 the roots of the hair may be destro3'ed, or the hair in- 

 jured so as to cause it to turn white. The two front 

 or the tw^o hind legs should not be blistered at the 

 same time. In rare eases a blister irritates a horse and 

 causes intense suffering soon after it is put on. It 

 should be washed off at once, the part greased and, if 

 necessary, laudanum given internally. To an adult 

 horse, ounce doses of laudanum can be given every 

 three hours until he is quiet. 



Fly - blister applied over a large area sometimes 

 causes severe irritation of the kidneys, with painful 

 passage of the urine. Should such symptons appear, 

 the blister must be washed off at once, the part greased, 

 and the horse given gruels and other mucilaginous 

 drinks, combined with laudanum in half-ounce doses to 

 soothe the irritated parts. When it is necessary to 

 apply an irritant over a large surface, — as in inflamma- 

 tion of the lungs, pleurisy, and some bowel troubles, — 



