STRANGLES. 67 



becoming larger, and by the skin feeling tense 

 and somewhat elastic, an opening should be 

 made with a lancet, and its contents evacuated : 

 this plan is certainly preferable to that of wait- 

 ing until it bursts spontaneously, as the animal 

 is instantly relieved by it, and the cure more 

 speedily effected. To evacuate the matter 

 perfectly, it is necessary to use moderate pres- 

 sure with the fingers ; and when this has been 

 done, let a piece of lint, dipped in digestive 

 liniment, be inserted, for the purpose of 

 keeping the lips of the wound open, and al- 

 lowing the matter to escape freely ; the poul- 

 tice is to be continued until the swelling is 

 perfectly reduced. When strangles attack 

 the internal parts of the throat so as to render 

 the horse incapable of swallowing, and parti- 

 cularly if the external swelling be not consider- 

 able, it will be advisable to apply a blister, 

 and keep the bowels open with cl^^sters. It is 

 very necessary, in every case of strangles, to 

 steam the head w^ell, that is, to put hot bran 

 mashes into the manger frequently, so that 

 the horse may inhale the vapours. 



It is of consequence to distinguish cases of 

 incipient strangles from common colds. In the 

 latter, bleeding is a useful remedy j but in the 



