616 DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



a little oil being now applied, or, what suits better, perhaps, an emulsion of sweet- 

 oil, carbonate of potash, and water. It is a mistake to keep the parts soft too long . 

 the eschars should be allowed to accumulate, and to desquamate gradually. 



Firing, or the application of the actual cautery, is a much more severe irritant 

 than a blister, and often removes ' pain very rapidly when repeated blisters have 

 failed to do so. In bone diseases, and in all cases of chronic lameness, it is of great 

 benefit, and seems to act by powerfully exciting the healing process in the part dis- 

 eased. The firing may be in lines, and superficial, the transverse method being the 

 least calculated to blemish ; or it may be in points, and deep, by pyro-puncture (see 

 treatment for spavins, ring-bones, etc.) into the diseased structure. This latter 

 method is the more easily performed, and the more effective. 



Nothing is more calculated to dispel, the idea of the correctness of the counter- 

 irritation theory than the dissection of a part which has been recently fired (say three 

 days after the operation), when it will be found that the skin, subcutaneous tissue, 

 and the bones, — When they are superficially situated, such as those of the hock, 

 pastern, etc., — are involved in the inflammatory action so produced. Thus a bone 

 spavin lameness is removed by the inflammation excited by the cautery in the dis- 

 eased bones, providing a supply of material for the purpose of uniting them to- 

 gether into one immovable mass ; or as in caries of a ginglymoid joint, for the re- 

 pair of destroyed structure, as already explained. 



Setons act very satisfactorily in some cases of bone diseases, especially those ac- 

 companied by external heat of the part ; they produce a discharge of pus, and their 

 action can be continued for a much longer time than that of blistering or firing. In 

 tendinous or ligamentous lameness, with much thickening of the integuments and 

 subcutaneous structures, setons should not be employed,- as they leave much addi- 

 tional thickening, and are not so effectual as the actual cautery. 



Hot Fomentations. 



This is so often advised for acute inflammation, sprains, etc., 

 notwithstanding the simplicity of its application, I think it advis- 

 able to give such details as will serve to aid the owner in its use. 

 The use of hot and cold water alone, intelligently applied, will be 

 found a very safe, simple, and effective remedy for allaying inflam- 

 mation, pain, and congestion. 



The principle is to apply all the heat the animal will bear, but 

 not enough to scald or burn. It is best accomplished by wringing 

 through a common clothes wringer a woolen blanket (a common 

 horse-blanket will do) out of boiling hot water, fold it quickly into 

 four or more thicknesses, and place it over the affected part. Cover 

 the hot cloth well with dry blanket. If continued or repeated long 

 enough to relax the skin, cold is to be applied to tone it up, when, 

 if necessary, the heat is to be again continued. , 



For Acute Pleurisy. — To relieve the pain, apply hot fomenta- 

 tions over the seat of the pain, from one to three hours, or till the 

 pain subsides. The fomentations should be renewed every five or 

 ten minutes, and at the conclusion should be followed with a heavy, 

 cold compress for about ten minutes. Ice compresses instead of 



