244 VETERINARY OPERATIONS. 



tice is necessarily hot, a little linseed meal added to the bran wil 

 render it adhesive, and give it consistence. It is a very necessary 

 caution in this, as in every instance where bandages are wanted 

 around the extremities, to have them broad, and only so tight as to 

 secure the matters contained, as in a poultice, or as in common 

 bandaging. It is often supposed that " as strong as a horse," de- 

 notes that nothing can be too strong for him, nor any means too 

 violent to hurt him. The horse, on the contrary, is one of the 

 most tender animals alive : and a string tied very tight round the 

 ieg would occasion first a falling off of the hoof, next a mortification 

 of the rest of the limb, and lastly the death of the animal ; and 

 all this as certainly as though he were shot with a bullet through 

 tne head, 



Setons and Rowels. 



116. Scions are often useful in keeping up a drain to draw what 

 are termed humours from parts ; or by their irritations on one part, 

 they lessen the inflammation in another part not very remote, as 

 when applied to 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 conve- 

 nient orifice for the escape of lodged matter : thus a seton passed 

 fiom the upper part of the opening of pole evil, through the upper 

 pait ot the integuments of the neck, as low as the sinuses run, will 

 often ettect a cure without further application. The same with fistu- 

 ious withers, wnich sometimes run under the shoulder blade, and 

 appear at the arm point ; in which case 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 thread, or piece of tape : but in professional farriery 

 tiiey are made by a proper needle armed with 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 netted, to prevent them from 

 coming out. 



117. 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 case of 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 adherence around, and then inserting in the 



