BLISTERING. 438 



to a head — to rouse the absorbents generally to more energetic action, and cause 

 the disappearance of tumours, and even callous and bony substances. 



The judgment of the practitioner will decide whether the desired effect will be 

 best produced by a sudden and violent action, or by the continuance of one of a 

 milder character. Inflammation should be met by active blisters ; old enlarge- 

 ments and swellings will be most certainly removed by milder stimulants— by 

 the process which farriers call sweating down. 



There are few more active or effectual blisters than the Spanish fly, mixed 

 with the proportions of lard and resin that will be hereafter stated. The best 

 liquid or sweating blister is an infusion of the fly in spirit of turpentine, and 

 that lowered with neat's foot oil according to the degree of activity required. 



In preparing the horse for blistering, the hair should be clipped or shaved as 

 closely as possible, and the ointment thoroughly rubbed in. Much fault is often 

 found with the ointment if the blister does not rise, but the failure is generally 

 to be attributed to the idleness of the operator. 



The head of the horse should be tied up during the first two days ; except 

 that, when the sides are blistered, the body-clothes may be so contrived as to 

 prevent the animal from nibbling and blemishing the part, or blistering his muzzle. 

 At the expiration of twenty-four hours, a little olive or neat's foot oil should be 

 applied over the blister, which will considerably lessen the pain and supple the 

 part, and prevent cracks in the skin that may be difficult to heal. The oU should 

 be applied morning and night, until the scabs peel off. When they begin to loosen, 

 a lather of soap and water applied with a sponge may hasten their removal, but 

 no violence must be used. 



Every particle of litter should be carefully removed from the stall, for the 

 sharp ends of the straw coming in contact witi a part rendered so tender and irri- 

 table by the blister, will cause a very great annoyance to the animal. After the 

 second day the horse may be suffered to lie down ; but the possibility of blemish- 

 ing himself should be prevented by a cradle or wooden necklace, consisting of 

 round strips of wood, strung together, reaching from the lower jaw to the chest, 

 and preventing him from sufficiently turning or bending his head, to get at the 

 blistered part. 



A blister thus treated will rarely produce the slightest blemish. When the 

 scabs are all removed, the blister may be repeated, if the case should appear to 

 require it, or the horse may be turned out. 



In inflammations which threaten life, a blister can scarcely be too active or 

 extensive. In inflammation of the lungs it should reach over the whole of the 

 sides, and the greater part of the brisket, for, should a portion of the fly be 

 absorbed, and produce strangury (inflammation, or spasmodic affection of the 

 neck of the bladder,) even this new irritation may assist in subduing the first 

 and more dangerous one. In blistering, however, for injuries or diseases of the 

 legs or feet, some caution is necessary. When speaking of the treatment of 

 sprain of the back sinews, p. 344, it was stated, that ' a blister should never be 

 used while any heat or tenderness remained about the part,' for we should then 

 add to the superficial inflammation, instead of abating the deeper seated one, 

 and enlargements of the limb and extensive ulcerations might follow, which would 

 render the horse perfectly unserviceable. When there is a tendency to grease, a 

 blister is a dangerous thing, and has often aggravated the disease. In winter, the 

 inflammation of the skin produced by blistering is apt to degenerate into grease ; 

 therefore, if it should be necessary to blister the horse during that season, great 

 care must be taken that he is not exposed to cold, and, particularly, that a current 

 of cold air does not come upon the legs. 



The inhuman practice of blistering all round at the same time, and perhaps 

 high on the legs, cannot be too strongly reprobated. Many a valuable horse 



