DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 201 



according to the degree of heat ; to burn into the skin until the line 

 produced by the iron is of a brown colour, rather light than dark, and 

 by all means avoid penetrating the skin. Leaving the additional 

 cruelty of deep firing out of the question, we may depend on it that, if 

 the skin is burned through, inflammation, and ulceration, and sloughing 

 will ensue, which will be with much difficulty combated; which will 

 unavoidably leave unnecessary blemish, and which have destroyed 

 many valuable horses. It may happen, nevertheless, that by a sudden 

 plunge of the animal, the skin will be unavoidably cut through. Tht 

 act of firing requires much skill and tact, and the practitioner cannot be 

 always on his guard against the struggles of the tortured beast. It will 

 also, and not unfrequently occur, that the skin, partially divided, will 

 separate in two or three days after the operation. This must not be 

 attributed to any neglect or unskillfulness of the surgeon, and the ulce- 

 ration thus produced will be slight, and easily treated, compared with 

 that caused by the actual burning through of the skin. 



Some practitioners blister immediately after firing. As a general 

 usage, it is highly to be reprobated. It is wanton and useless cruelty; 

 but it may be required in bony tumors of considerable extent, and 

 long standing, and interfering materially with the action of the neigh- 

 boring joint. Spavin, accompanied by much lameness, and ring-bone 

 spreading round the coronet, and involving the side cartilages, or the 

 pastern-joint, may justify it. The inflammation is rendered more in- 

 tense, and of considerably longer duration. In old affections of the 

 round bone it may be admitted, but no excuse can be made for it in 

 slighter cases of sprain, or weakness, or staleness. 

 The point in firing for a spavin is first to fire over a large surface. 

 The perpendicular lines should run about two inch- 

 es apart, and the oblique ones about 

 a scant half inch apart. The iron 

 should have an edge of about a thir- 

 tieth of an inch across the edge, but 

 smooth and rounding, not sharp or 

 too prominently dull ; something like 

 the back of a wood-saw, but slanting 

 back thick immediately from the 

 edge, and should be of steel. Two 

 irons are necessary. The end, or 

 firing part, shown, is just half size. 

 The handle part should extend back 

 twenty one or two inches, of simple 

 half -inch round iron. 



First clip the hair off the leg to be 

 fired for spavin quite close, and over 

 about the proportion of surface 

 shown, clear around to the middle of 

 the leg, behind and before. Now put 

 your irons in the fire, and make ready. Aq " f ai ^ e f e " y g ^ e j 

 Back view of a leg There is a great difference in horses ghoSkufe Urea 

 fired for spaviii. about standing while firing ; some for spavin. 



