102S DISEASES ANT) THEIE TEEATMENT. 



turned loose into a large box, or a paddock, or an orchard. In a 

 field he would be apt to take too much exercise. About a week 

 or ten daj^s after the blister lias been applied, the parts should be 

 oiled with some olive-oil or vaseline. If flies are troublesome, and 

 make the horse restless, they may be kept off by the tar ointment, 

 or tar and train oil mixed. 



Counter Ikritants. — Their Uses, How to Employ 

 Them, etc., from Williams. 



" In all painful affections, warm fomentations or poultices must 

 as a rule be prescribed. In the course of some days, however, if 

 the ]>aiu is subsiding, and the parts seeminglj^ relaxed, much bene- 

 fit will be obtained by making a change to cold, mild astringents 

 and bandages, to promote absorption of the exudate. 



"The congested ca])illaries maybe relieved by local bleeding, 

 but the parts upon which such an operation is performed are verj'- 

 few, except about the coronet or the foot. An incision into the 

 coronary plexus will reach the vessels at once; the utility of this 

 is, however, very doubtful, except in rare cases. Bleeding at the 

 toe, although much practiced by many, is not to be commended, 



" Purgatives are very useful during the first stages of lameness, 

 reducing the inflammation, A full dose of aloes may be given with 

 advantage, the diet being properlj^ regulated and restricted to bran 

 mashes, a little hay, and the water to be chilled. 



" After the acute signs of inflammation have subsided, if the 

 lameness still remains, the application of the so-called counter irri- 

 tants will be rendered necessary. These consist of rubefacients, 

 blistex's, setons, and the actual cautery. The actions of these reme- 

 dies differ only in degree, in rapidity, and in performance, not in 

 the nature of the exudation which they produce. Without enter- 

 ing into any speculative discussion upon the question, superficial ir- 

 ritants are beneficial in all cases of chronic lameness, whether it be 

 caused by disease in bone, cartilage, ligament, tendon, or any other 

 structure; and they are often more decided^ beneficial when ap- 

 ])licd to the diseased structure itself than to the skin covering it. 

 .For example, a lameness arises from bone spavin; its eradication is 

 much more certain and rapid when a pointed cautery'- is applied to 

 the diseased bones than when the hock is fired in the orchnary 

 way. Again, a spavin has been fired and blistered repeatedly 

 without benefit; the bones are "punched " (a barbarous operation, 

 and only to be performed in extreme cases), violent inflammation 

 is excited in the diseased bones, which for a time increases the 

 lameness; but this gradually subsides, and the original lameness is 

 foimd to bo removed. 



" I am of the opinion that the curative action of external irri- 

 tants is not due to their producing metastasis or counter irritation; 

 but that they excite within thje originally fli8eas"ed structure a re- 



