56 THE COMPLETE FARRIER. 



the vein between the hoof and the coffin. When this is the case, thin 

 the soles of the feet till the blood springs through, and then put on 

 screw-shoes, and screw the feet out. Let the screw-shoes stay on a 

 fortnight. You may screw the feet out more than half an inch. 



The next thing to be considered is gravel rising from the bottom to 

 the top of the foot, and breaking out at the cornet. How many twit- 

 ter-bones have been thus formed that might have been prevented ! 

 When the gravel comes up to. the top of the foot, take away the sole 

 at the bottom, and the hoof at the top, and mix equal parts of oil of 

 turpentine and oil of origanum, and bathe the top part of the foot. 

 This will prevent a Twitter from forming. 



A TWITTER-BONE. 



A Twitter-bone makes a horse very lame, and not fit for work. It 

 keep throwing a tough white matter out of what is called a pipe. In 

 order to cure it, first find out to where the pipe leads. This you may 

 do with a piece of round lead, the size of a small quill-barrel. Have 

 the following ready, viz : 



h an oz. of Sublimate, in fine powder, put into 1 oz. of Spirits of Salt, and as soon 

 as the Spirits dissolve the Sublimate, put to it the juice of a middle-sized lemon. 



Mix all together, and syringe a squirt full into the pipe when you 

 take the lead out ; and when you draw out the point of the syringe, 

 put your thumb upon the place to prevent it coming back again, and 

 then put on a pledget of green salve and tow. Do this every other, 

 day, for three or four times, and by this method most Twitters may 

 be removed. But, if this method fail, the next thing to be done is to 

 put a hot iron, the thickness of a small finger, where the pipe leads to, 

 and to fill the hole with sublimate, and bind on it a pledget of given 

 salve with a cloth. Let it be five days, and then lay on some more 

 salve and tow, and in five days more the Twitter-bone and pipe will 

 come out. The wound must be washed with the following mixture, 

 and dressed with green salve and tow every other day, till nearly well: 



1 oz. of Bole. I oz. of Oil of Origanum. 4 oz. of Oil of Turpentine. 



Shake them up well together, and they will both help to heal the 

 wound, and to bring down the substance. If any more Twitter-bones 

 or pipes form, you must take them out in the same manner. 



A FISTULA, AND BRUISES OF THE WITHERS. 



This disorder has formerly baffled many people who were expert in 

 surgery, but of late years it has been better understood, and the cure 

 more easily performed. The Withers are very subject to bruises, 

 which are often caused by bad saddles, or such as are too wide in the 

 front, but, whatever be the cause, it is well known that by neglect 

 they often terminate in a Fistula. 



When the Withers are bruised and a swelling appears, lay a poultice 

 of bran and vinegar over the part. People who have a horse which 

 is crushed in the Withers, and pay no regard to it, are worse than 

 savages, and are not fit to have such an useful animal. 



