BLISTERS OR IRRITANTS. 309 



choosing the branch that passes along the front of the biceps, 

 towards the shoulder point. In all lamenesses of the fore limb, 

 the depletion is best made here, particularly in violent shoulder 

 wrenches. Strains of the loins, extensions of the articulations of 

 the thigh with the body, and with the leg also, as well as muscular 

 and ligamentous extensions of any parts of the hinder limb, should 

 be treated by abstracting blood from the saphena vein, which is 

 found traversing the inner and fore part of the hock, and an inch 

 and a half or two inches above may be fixed between the index 

 finger and thumb of one hand, and then punctured by means of a 

 lancet in the other. 



The quantity of blood drawn should be regulated by the size of 

 the dog : for a very small dog, one or two ounces are sufficient ; 

 for a middling sized dog, three or four ounces ; and for a large 

 dog, five, six, seven, or eight ounces, according to the size and 

 strength of the patient, and the nature of the disease he labours 

 under. 



BLISTERS, OR IRRITANTS. 



These are very valuable medicaments in many of the com- 

 plaints of dogs, and in some instances they cannot be done without. 

 Irritants is a more critical term than blisters, for these matters do 

 not usually vesicate and detach the skin, as in the human subject ; 

 but they irritate and inflame the surface sufficiently to answer 

 every purpose required. Irritating substances for dogs are various ; 

 but the best is that in common use for the human subject, which 

 is made of Spanish flies, applied as a plaister, and carefully se- 

 cured by a bandage. When, however, it is intended, as in very 

 active inflammations, to raise a speedy irritation, blistering oint- 

 ment should be made use of ; and, to render it still more active, 

 it may be thinned with oil of turpentine. This should be well 

 rubbed into the skin, first clipping the hair close, and securing a 

 covering carefully over the part after : the application may be re- 

 peated, in urgent cases, every three or four hours. 



