STEAITGLES. 419 



It is difficult to state, in every ease, which of the remedies to 

 prefer ; sometimes one, and sometimes the other, is necessary. 

 Use them in 2-drachm dOses, mixed each time of their being 

 given with 6 or 8 ounces of water. 



Blisters. — A Cantharides Blister, if applied to th5 skin of 

 the sub-maxillary space, during the incipient stage of the 

 abscess, will frequently prove of signal service in hastening 

 the formation of purulent matter. Before rubbing on the 

 Blister, clip away the hair from the part. It is best, in every 

 case of Strangles, to apply a Blister at once. 



Poultices. — Upon the subsidence of the action of the 

 blister, have recourse to hot Poultices, made of bran and boiled 

 turnips ; and renew them every six or eight hours, until the 

 Abscess is ready to lance, which may be known by the soft, 

 elastic condition of the tumour-like substance constituting the 

 Abscess. "When ready for opening, push a lancet into the 

 most dependent and most elastic part of the swelling. Make a 

 bold free opening ; then with the index finger break up aU the 

 cells, cavities, and adhesions within, so as to efiectuaUy liberate 

 the whole of the contained matter ; after which apply a fresh 

 Poultice, and continue to do so at intervals of ten or twelve 

 hours, for two or three days in succession. 



Por all information necessary as to the preparation of Poul- 

 tices, and the proper mode to apply them to the neck and to 

 the sub-maxiUary space, the reader is directed to turn to pages 

 149 to 154. ^ 



Sot Water Ibmentations. — Por all necessary information 

 as to the application of Hot Water Poinentations to the neck, 

 or in steaming the head, see pages 156, 157, and 249. 



Tracheotomy. — When the disease is associated with Spasm 

 of the Larynx, arising either from inflammation of the laryngeal 

 tissues, or from reflex nervous action, it is better to open the 



