44 Stable Management and the Prevention of Disease 



bought in almost every bazaar. It is better, therefore, to use 

 the latter whenever procurable. 



Mylabris cichorii, the blistering beetle, is sold' in bazaars, 

 and is usually issued from the Government medical stores 

 instead of cantharides. The insect is found plentifully in 

 India, and is especially fond of settling upon the flowers of 

 the hibiscus. It is above an inch long, by a quarter of an 

 inch wide. The wing-cases are a reddish-yellow, with 

 three broad black transverse bars upon them. The Hindu- 

 stani name is telni makki, which means oily fly, because 

 when seized, small drops of oily fluid are exuded from the 

 joints of its legs. The ointment, as recommended in Tuson's 

 'Veterinary Pharmacopoeia,' is not strong enough if made with 

 the dried flies. There ought to be one part of the beetle to 

 four parts of whatever fatty matter is used for mixing with 

 it. On the other hand, if experimenting with newly-caught 

 and undried beetles, it is necessary to be very cautious and 

 make it far weaker, for in that state they are much more 

 irritating than when dried. I saw a horse upon whose back 

 a large piece of skin had been completely destroyed by the 

 application of a blister made with some beetles just after they 

 were caught. 



For making ointment lard may be bought in many bazaars, 

 but it is not well adapted for India, partly because it is 

 always liquid in the hot weather, and partly because it greatly 

 offends the religious prejudices of many of the natives, espe- 

 cially Mussulmans. 



Mutton suet can often be procured, and when purified by 

 boiling and straining answers every purpose. Another excel- 

 lent substance is a mixture of equal parts of beeswax and the 

 clarified butter, called ghee, melted together. 



Ghee is made by boiling butter for some time, and 

 skimming off the impurities which rise to the surface. It 

 is then left to cool, and can be kept for many months 

 without turning rancid or showing any other sign of decom- 

 position. 



Nitrate of potash, shora, is usually impure as sold in the 

 bazaars, and is often of quite a dingy colour. It should be 



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