990 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



SuBSECT. 4. Seions and Rowels. 



6537. Setons are often useful in keeping up a drain to draw what are termed humours ft-om parts ; or by 

 their irritations on one part, they lessen the inflammation in another part not very remote, as when applied 

 in the cheek for ophthalmia or inflamed eyes. They also in the same way lessen old swellings by exciting 

 absorption. Another useful action they have is to make a dependent or convenient orifice for the escape 

 of lodged matter : thus a seton passed from the upper part of the opening of pole evil, through the upper 

 jiart of the integuments of the neck, as low as the sinuses run, will often effect a cure without farther 

 application. The same with fistulous withers, which sometimes run under the shoulder blade, and appear 

 at the arm point ; in which cases a blunt seton needle, of sufficient length to be passed down to that point, 

 and to be then cut down upon, will form the only efficient mode of treatment. Setons may be passed in 

 domestic farriery with a common packing needle and a skein of throad, or piece of tape ; but in profes- 

 sional farriery they are made by a proper needle armed witli tape or lamp cotton, or skeins of thread or 

 silk smeared over with digestive ointment. "When the seton needle is removed, the ends of the tape 

 should be joined together, or otherwise knotted, to prevent them from coming out. 



6538. Rowels in their intention act as setons, and as irritating a larger surface, so when a general drain 

 is required they act better ; as in grease, &c. : but when their action is confined to a part only setons are 

 more convenient. Any person may apply a rowel by making an incision in the loose skin about an inch, 

 separating with the finger its adherences around, and then inserting in the opening a piece of round 

 leather with a hole in the middle smeared with a blistering ointment. Then plug the opening with tow ; 

 and in three days, when the suppuration has begun, remove it The rowel leather is afterwards to be daily 

 moved and cleaned. 



SuBSECT. 5. Blistering and Firing. 



65S9. Blistering answers the same purpose as setons ; and is practised by first cutting or shaving the 

 hair from the part, when the blistering ointment {Vet. Phartn. 6559.) should be well rubbed in for ten 

 minutes, or a quarter of an hour. Some of the ointment after the rubbing may be smeared over the part. 

 The head of the horse should now be tied up to prevent his gnawing or licking. If a neck cradle be at 

 hand, it may also for safety be put on ; in which case the head may be let down the third day. 



654<). A neck cradle for blistered horses is very convenient for other occasions also, when the mouth is 

 to be kept from licking or biting other parts ; or to keep other parts from being rubbed against the head. 

 It is of very simple construction, and may be made by a dozen pieces of wood of about an inch and half 

 in diameter, as old broom handles, &c. These bored at each end admit a rope to be passed through ; and 

 as each is passed on, a knot may be tied to the upper part of the pieces of the cradle, two inches apart ; 

 and those which form the lower part, four inches : by which means the neck will be fitted by the cradle 

 when it is put on ; and the horse will be prevented from bending his head to lick or gnaw parts to be 

 protected. When the lower parts of the legs, particularly of the hinder, require blistering, it is necessary 

 to bear in mind that in gross full horses, particularly in autumn, grease is very apt to follow blistering ; 

 and almost certainly if the back of the heels below the fetlock be blistered. First, therefore, smear this 

 part over with lard or suet ; and afterwards avoid touching it with the ointment. After blistering in 

 summer, the horse is often turned out before the blistered parts are quite sound j in this case guard them 

 from flies by some kind of covering, or they may become fly-blown : and likewise the fourth or fifth day 

 rub into the blistered part some oil or lard to prevent the skin from cracking. 



6541. Sweating or liquid blisters {Vet. Pharrn. 6563.) are only more gentle stimulants, which are daily 

 applied to produce the same effects on a diseased part without removing the hair. Of course less activity 

 is expected; yet as the action is repeated, they are often more beneficial even than blistering itself: as 

 in old strains and stiffiiesses. 



6542. Firing, as requiring the assistance of an experienced practitioner, we shall not describe ; it will 

 be only prudent to point out that it is a more active mode of blistering ; and that it acts very powerfully 

 as a stimulant, not only while its effects last as blisters do, but also after its escharotic effect is over, by its 

 pressure ; and in this way it is that it operates so favourably in bony exostosis, as splints and spavins ; 

 and in this way it is so useful in old ligamentary weaknesses ; because by lessening the dilatibility of the 

 skin it becomes a continual bandage to the part 



SuBSECT. 6. Clustering and Phi/sicking. 



6543. Clustering should always be preceded by back-raking, which consists in oiling one hand and arm, 

 and passing them up the fundament, and by that means to remove all the dung balls that can be reached. 

 The large pewter syringe for clystering is neither a useful nor safe machine. A much better consists in 

 a turned box pipe, to which may be attached a large pig or ox-bladder, by which four or five quarts of 

 liquid can be administered at one time. ( Vet. Pharm. 6564. to 6567.) The pipe should be previously oiled, 

 by which means it passes more easily : the liquor should then be steadily pressed up ; and when the pipe 

 is removed, the tail should be held down over the fimdament a little to prevent the return of the clyster. 

 In some cases of a spasmodic nature, as gripes and locked jaw, great force is made by the bowels to return 

 the clyster, and nothing but continued pressure over the fundament can enable it to be retained. Clysters 

 not only act in relaxing the bowels, but they may be used as means of nutriment when it cannot be taken 

 by the mouth ; as in locked jaw, wounds of the mouth, throat, &c. &c. In locked jaw, it was observed by 

 Gibson, that he kept a horse alive many days by clysters alone : and by clysters also many medicines may 

 be given more conveniently than by the mouth. , 



6544. Physicking of horses. It is equally an error to refrain altogether from giving horses physic, as it 

 is to give it on every occasion, as some do. Neither is it necessary for horses to be bled and physicked 

 every spring and autumn, if they be in perfect health, and the less so, as at this time they are generally 

 weak and faint from the change going on in their coats. Nor is it always necessary to give horses physic 

 when they come from grass or a straw yard ; provided the change from the one state to the other be very 

 moderately brought about But on such a removal, it certainly expedites all the phenomena of condition 

 (6423.), and such horses are less likely to afterwards fall to pieces, as it is termed. (6424.) In various 

 morbid states physic is particularly useful, as in worms, hide-bound from too full a habit, &c. &c. It is 

 not advisable to physic horses in either very cold or very warm weather. Strong physic is always hurtful : 

 all that physic can do is as well operated by a mild as by a strong dose, and with infinitely less hazard. No 

 horse should be physicked whose bowels havenot been previously prepared by mashing for two days at least 

 before. By these means the physic will work kindly, and a moderate quantity only is requisite. Most of 

 the. articles put into the purging balls for horses, to assist the aloes, are useless. Jalap will not purge a 

 horse, nor rhubarb either. Aloes are the only proper drug to be depended on for this purpose, and of all 

 the varieties of aloes the socotorine and Cape are the best. ( Vet. Pharm. 6584.) Barbadoes aloes are also 

 not improper, but ^re thought more rough than the socotorine. For formulae of purging balls, see Vet. 

 Pharm. 6584. Blaine gives the following as the process : 



6545. Physicking process. The horse having fasted an hour or two in the'moming from food, but having 

 had his water as usual, give him his purge, and two hours after offer him a little chilled but not warm 

 water, as is often done, by which horses are disgusted from taking any : it may be here remarked that in 

 this particular much error is frequently committed. Many horses will drink water with the chill taken 

 oJOf", provided it be perfectly clean, and do not smell of smoke from the fire, kettle, or saucepan : but (evr^ 

 very few, will drink warm or hot wiiter; and still fewer, if it be in the least degree greasy or smoky. 



