APPENDIX C 519 



it up and making another half-hitch on a line with the first. The free 

 end is next carried behind and pulled ; the animal quietly lies down. A 

 number of operations can be performed under this method of restraint. 



1082. Charges, or Plaster Bandages, are agents which act as external 

 supporters, and in many cases they have a decided beneficial action, 

 such as in wind-galls, bog-spavin, thoroughpin, and sprung tendons. The 

 most convenient charge is made by melting over a slow fire 2 parts of 

 black pitch and 1 part of Stockholm tar ; stir well together, and when 

 nearly cool smear over the parts. Plaster bandages are now greatly 

 used for the support of sprung tendons and weak shanks. They are 

 specially made from adhesive matters, in various lengths, breadths, and 

 colours. 



1083. Chloroform Bag is an ordinary leather bag resembling a muzzle, 

 and is fixed on to the nose of the animal by a leather strap put behind the 

 ears ; a sponge saturated with chloroform is put into the bottom of the 

 bag, and to prevent the fumes escaping a towel is rolled round the top 

 of the bag. A special chloroform muzzle invented by my old master, the 

 late Mr. Joseph Carlisle, is the best and handiest. Previous to adminis- 

 tering the chloroform the animal should be cast and properly secured, to 

 prevent it injuring itself when the chloroform is taking effect and passing 

 off. 



[084. Cradle.. — This is a simple appliance made of cylindrical pieces of 

 wood or bamboo, about 1^ inches in diameter, and varying in length 

 from 15 to 20 inches, and about eight to twelve in number. They are 

 fastened together by cords, with intervening spaces, and put round the 

 horse's neck to prevent it biting or rubbing the parts, after firing and 

 blistering. 



1085. Docking is the amputation of a portion of the tail of young horses. 

 Although it is considered by many to be an act of cruelty, the operation 

 is now more in vogue than it was in former years. There are various 

 arguments for and against docking, also at what age it is best to operate. 

 In performing the operation, a portion of the tail, varying in length, is 

 selected, the hair is clipped off round the part, and the amputation is 

 best done by a special docking knife or scissors, and the bleeding stopped 

 by the application of the hot docking-iron. All the instruments must 

 be scrupulously clean, as both lock-jaw and blood-poisoning occasionally 

 follow docking. 



1086. Drenches, Draughts, Drinks. — When medicines are too bulky to 

 give as a ball, the ingredients are mixed together and suspended in cold 

 or warm water, thin gruel, warm ale, or in linseed or castor oils, and given 

 as a drench. The majority of medicines are administered in this form 

 to cattle, sheep, and pigs in particular. In drenching a horse, buckle the 

 ends of a narrow leather strap together in the form of a loop ; put one 

 portion into the mouth of the horse behind the incisor teeth ; the other 

 part is then carried over the nose close up to the eyes, through which put 

 one of the prongs of a stable fork, to be held by an assistant standing on 

 the left or near side. By raising the prong end of the fork, the head is 



