50 MATERIA MEDIC A. 



highly useful. It consists in the application 

 «f a red hot iron to the skin, so as to burn 

 without penetrating through it. The vio- 

 lent intlammation this occasions, rouses the 

 absorbent vessels into action, by which cal- 

 lous or even boney swellings are sometimes 

 dispersed ; the diseases in which it is most 

 efficacious are spavins, ringbones, old cal- 

 lous swellings about the back sinews, in con- 

 sequence of strains, and windgalls. Firing 

 is supposed to brace the skin, and cause it 

 to act as a bandage on the subjacent parts. 

 A blister is often applied to the part imme- 

 diately after firing, or on the following day, 

 to render it more effectual. It is necessary 

 to observe, that the milder remedies should 

 always be tried before this severe operation 

 is had recourse to. Firing has been recom- 

 mended for the purposes of strengthening 

 the back sinews and hocks of colts, to pre- 

 vent strains, and what is termed breaking 

 down ; but it is difficult, if not impossible, 

 to conceive how the workmanship of the 

 Deity can be improved by such means. 



It has been asserted, that when firing is 

 employed for old callous swellings of the 

 buck sinews, the swelling should be pre- 



