138 The Diseases of Animals 
COUNTER-IRRITANTS 
The term counter-irritant is given to a class of 
medicines that are applied externally for the purpose of 
setting up a local and artificial inflammation in order to 
cure a disease or injury. It is a very old treatment and 
is very frequently used in veterinary practice. Among 
the counter-irritants that are commonly employed are 
liniments, hand-rubbing, blisters, seatons or “rowels,” 
and burning with a hot iron or “firing.” 
Counter-irritants are used especially in chronic or 
long-continued conditions. They should never be ap- 
plied to a part when it is acutely inflamed. The in- 
flammation should first be reduced by fomentations 
of hot or cold water; when the acute inflammation 
has subsided, if the disease still continues, counter-irri- 
tants should be used. A mild form of counter-irrita- 
tion is hand-rubbing, or hand-rubbing in combination 
with liniments. The virtues of most liniments are 
increased by thorough and vigorous rubbing. As soon 
as the part begins to get sore, or tender, withhold the 
liniment and rubbing for a few days and then re-apply. 
Seatons.—A seaton is a foreign body, usually a piece 
of string or tape, inserted beneath the skin over the 
diseased part. It is inserted by means of a seaton 
needle, and the two ends of the string are tied together 
to keep it from coming out. The skin below the seaton 
should be well greased with fresh lard or vaseline, to 
prevent its being scalded by the pus which is dis- 
charged. The seaton should be shifted about every 
day and washed clean. Sometimes medicinal substances 
