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POULTICES AND FOMENTATIONS. 



THERE is frequently great need of these agents 

 as auxiliaries to the treatment of disease which 

 arises among horses. In contradistinction to 

 the great amount of good which they may be 

 caused to effect, much harm may ensue by igno- 

 rance or misunderstanding. 



A poultice is employed for two purposes to 

 apply heat and moisture conjointly to a part, or 

 cold and moisture. We have therefore warm 

 and cold poultices. Fomentations, on the other 

 hand, are always hot. They consist usually of 

 water alone, or infusions of some plant whose 

 active principle has some medicinal effect. 



The object in either case is to perpetuate in a 

 part by external means, either a degree of heat 

 or cold which cannot be effected otherwise, in 

 order to promote some desirable curative action. 

 To render these means effective, their use must 

 be long continued, and the desired temperature 

 maintained as near as possible. A poultice 

 loosely applied, or a fomentation imperfectly 

 maintained, produces absolute harm by the 

 evaporation and cooling which ensues, and its 

 effects upon the internal structures. When 

 parts have been fomented or poulticed, they 

 should either be dried or protected by covering 

 from the atmosphere. 



