444 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



the ridges, one inch inside the mouth, between the middle 

 and second nippers. If the artery should be wounded, it 

 must be completely severed so that its retraction may check 

 the flow of blood. Bleeding from the palate, except under 

 extraordinary circumstances, had better be avoided. 



Bleeding from the Plate Vein. — This is resorted to in 

 affections of the shoulder, fore leg, and foot, and sprain of 

 the back sinews. The principal trunk of the superficial 

 brachial vein ascends along the inner side of the radius, or 

 armbone. If, when taking blood from these veins, a diffi- 

 culty is found in making it flow, lift up the other fore leg, 

 which will call the muscles of the punctured one into action, 

 and force the blood in greater quantity. The external 

 thoracic (plate vein) is best opened just as it emerges from 

 behind the forearm, as it is here easily got at and readily 

 pinned up. 



Bleeding from the Thigh Vein. — The saphena is a pro- 

 minent vein, continued from the inner part of the hock. 

 The opposite leg to that to be operated on having been 

 raised, the practitioner places himself in front of the thigh ; 

 grasping the hock with his left hand and pressing the vein 

 with the side of the right, he punctures the vessel with his 

 adjusted fleam. It is a troublesome vein to pin up. 



Bleeding by the Toe. — This is practised in acute founder, 

 or laminitis, in our opinion most mischievously. We have 

 here, however, only to do with the mode of eff'ecting it, 

 should it be deemed necessary. A searcher, or drawing- 

 knife is driven down between the crust and sole at their 

 line of union ; then, by puncturing the part with a lancet, an 

 immense flow of blood will follow. If the blood should not 

 flow with sufficient freedom, place the foot in warm water. 

 The bleeding finished, cover the puncture with some tow and 

 a little tar, and lightly tack on the shoe. 



Some horses will bear to lose a much larger quantity 

 than others, without our being well able to explain the 

 reason of the difference. In a general way, the quantity 

 an animal can afford to lose will depend on his condition 

 at the time, his age, and on the nature of his disease, 

 should there happen to be any present. Horses that 

 work hard and live well will bear bleeding best ; fat, 

 bloated subjects, worst. Under acute inflammatory disease, 

 especially of the brain, an animal will support the loss of a 

 much larger quantity than if he were in health. Under 



