BOOK VI. XII. 2-5 



applied and the foot is covered with a " slipper " of 

 broom and the greatest care is taken to prevent the 

 ox from putting his foot in water and that it keep 

 dry in its stall. This same blood, unless it is drawn 

 off, will give rise to a bruise, and, if this suppurates, 

 it will take a long time to heal. First a cut must be 

 made round it with a knife and it must be cleaned, 

 then it is brought to a healthy condition by having 

 rags pressed against it soaked in vinegar, salt and 

 oil, and afterwards by treatment with stale axle- 

 grease and goat's tallow boiled in equal quantity. 

 If the blood is in the lower part of the hoof, the 

 extremity of the hoof itself is cut to the quick and 

 the blood thus discharged, and the foot is wrapped 

 in bandages and protected with a " slipper " of 

 broom. It is not advisable to open the middle of 

 the hoof from below, unless suppuration has already 

 taken place in that part. If the lameness is due to 

 pain in the sinews, the knees, the ham and the legs 

 should be rubbed with oil and salt until it is cured. 



If the knees are swollen, they must be fomented 

 with warm vinegar and poulticed with linseed or 

 millet which has been ground up and sprinkled with 

 honey-water; also sponges soaked in boiling water 

 and then wrung out and smeared with honey are 

 correctly applied to the knees and wrapped round 

 with bandages. But if there is any liquid matter 

 under the swelling, some yeast or barley-flour boiled 

 in raisin- wine or honey-water is placed upon it ; and 

 when the suppuration has come to a head, it is cut 

 with the sui'geon's knife, and, when the pus has been 

 extracted, it is treated with bandages in the manner 

 described above. Incisions made with the knife can 

 also be treated, as Cornelius Celsus taught, by means 



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