ON SLINGS AND SLINGING. 
801 
4th. In conclusion, I beg to notice a particular that was 
not alluded to, but which is really of greater importance 
than is usually considered, viz., the injurious effects of rasping 
the front of the hoof. By removing the outside skin (like 
removing the bark of the tree) the horn loses its nature, and 
becomes brittle and weak. If you want a proof, only observe 
the toughness and the power of resistance to wear in the foot of 
the colt never rasped, and a foot (when barefoot) that has 
been in the habit of being rasped for some time : I maintain 
that there is no known substitute, either from the animal, 
vegetable, or mineral kingdoms, which can compensate for this 
loss of horn skin. 
ON SLINGS AND SLINGING. 
By Alfred Broad, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
The subject of suspending horses in slings is, without 
doubt, of sufficient importance to admit of much being said 
upon it by any one thoroughly competent, by experience, to 
deal with it ; but I trust the incompleteness of these few 
remarks will he overlooked in my endeavour to bring the 
matter into notice. Slings are of service to the veterinary 
surgeon in many cases, — in fact, without their aid, he could 
scarcely attempt to treat many cases of fracture and other in- 
juries with a fair prospect of success ; hut by their use he can 
often succeed in restoring his patient to a state of usefulness. 
For these and other purposes it is important that the slings 
should be of good construction, and well adapted to support the 
animal with as much ease to himself as possible. Among the 
cases in which slings are especially serviceable are those of 
fractures of the limbs, open joints, partial paralysis, and in- 
flammatory oedema, particularly when infiltration has taken 
place into the areolar tissue of the limb to an extent as to pre- 
vent flexion of it. They are also of great advantage in cases 
of extreme weakness, when the animal is scarcely able to 
stand, or when down, barely able to rise again, as some- 
times results from an attack of influenza or other debilitating 
diseases. I have known horses become so prostrated from 
influenza as to be quite unable to stand for many minutes 
together, but which on being put into the slings have gradually 
regained their strength and recovered. It is a well-known fact 
that when horses become so debilitated as to be compelled to 
