CLINICAL THERMOMETEE. 691 



are attached to the four free ends of the pieces of wood, and are 

 made fast to the rafters of the stall, or other convenient supports. 

 Slings should be provided with a breastplate and breeching to 

 prevent the horse slipping forward or backward, and a chain block 

 is used to lower or raise the slings at pleasure. 



Slings, when used, should lightly touch the abdomen of the horse 

 when he stands up, so that he may rest in them, or not, as he 

 chooses. The animal should never be suspended in them; for in 

 that case they would interfere with his breathing and digestion. 

 Employed as advised, he will readily accept the offered support, 

 if he is in need of it. 



Slings form an admirable means of control in cases of irritable 

 or vicious horses whose hind legs have to be dressed on account 

 of injuries, etc. 



Steaming the Nostrils. 



This is very useful in cases of inflammation of the air-passages. 

 It may be done by soaking hay in boiling water, and then placing it 

 in a nose-bag which is to be put on the horse's head. Two nose- 

 bags may be alternately employed. A better arrangement might 

 be made with a kettle, to the spout of which is attached a piece of 

 india-rubber tubing to lead into a deep nose-bag half jilled with 

 hay. The addition of 1 part of oil of turpentine to 4 or 5 parts 

 of water, may prove useful for steaming the nostrils in cases of 

 bronchitis, and sore throat. In these affections, I would suggest 

 the employment of inhalations from carbonate of ammonia, an 

 ounce placed in a nose-bag to be put on the horse's head. It will 

 not require the aid of heat. 



Sutures. 



See page 73. 



Thermometer, Use of the Clinical. 



This instrument is employed for taking the internal temperature 

 of the body, which is most conveniently done by placing the in- 

 strument for about three minutes in the animal's rectum. Owing 

 to the almost general adoption of this method, the expression 

 " internal temperature " is used as a rule to signify " rectal tem- 

 perature;" although the respective temperatures of different parts 

 of the body vary to a slight extent. The practice of placing the 

 thermometer in the mouth, as is the custom in human medicine, is 

 not suitable to horses, oj^ing to the danger of the animal breaking 

 the glass instrument with his teeth. 



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