66 THE FARMER'S 



irritation and inflammation; but are in some re- 

 spects more convenient, because they act contin- 

 ually. It is an error to suppose that poultices, to 

 be beneficial, should be very hot: however hot 

 hey may be applied, they soon become of the tem- 

 perature of the surrounding parts. When poulti- 

 ces are applied to the extremities, a stocking, as 

 has been before stated, is a convenient method of 

 application. When it is drawn over the leg and 

 bound around the lower part of the hoof, or of the 

 pastern, or otherwise, the matter of the poultice 

 may be put within, and it may be then kept in its 

 situation, if high up on the extremity, by means of 

 tape fastened to one part of it, and pgissed over the 

 withers or back to the other side, and again fasten- 

 ed to the stocking. In this way, also, loose ban- 

 dages may be retained from slipping down. Cold 

 poultices are often useful in the inflammations aris- 

 ing from strains, kc. In these cases bran and 

 goulard water form a convenient medium; but when 

 the poultice is necessarily hot, a little linseed meal 

 added to the bran will 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 S3 tight as to secure the matters contain- 

 ed, as in a poultice, or as in common bandaging. 

 It is often supposed that " as strong as a horse," 

 denotes that nothing can be two 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 around the 1« 

 would occasion, first a falling off of the hoof, ne 

 a mortification of tlie rest of the limb, and last 

 the death of the animal; and all this as certai 



