FIRING 



115 



ment sufficiently to construct an adequate supporting envel- 

 ope. Besides, such a bandage could have but little influence 

 in preventing strain, unless it transferred some of the burden 

 of the tendons to the column of bones by diminishing the 

 phalangeal inclination, an'd this of course is never accom- 

 plished by firing the skin. 



The benefits of firing may be summarized as follows: 

 (i) Puncture-firing augments local nutritive activity and 

 thus hastens the termination of chronic processes: (2) Both 

 line-firing and puncture-firing cause more or less immobility 

 of the diseased structures ; (3) Both line-firing and puncture- 



Fig. 68 — General Tarsitis. 



firing operations necessitate protracted rest to the decided 

 benefit of the defective organs. 



Firing is contra-indicated in recent injuries, new inflam- 

 mations, or in any lesions accompanied with an active in- 

 flammation of the skin. If the skin is sound and not impli-. 

 cated with the underlying inflammation, it may be fired with 

 impunity even though the latter be very acute, but if the in- 

 flammation extends into the integument the cauterization 

 may provoke both local and general complications. (See 

 sequelae.) 



For Spavin.— The firing of a spavin can always be de- 

 fended on the grounds that it is the standard treatment of 

 this serious disease of the tarsus. In this condition line-firing 

 gives the best results in the case of long standing, while punc- 



