ON MURRAIN, OR THE VESICULAR EPIZOOTIC. 35 
In many cases in which due attention is paid to cleanliness, 
the feet scarcely require any local applications : in severe cases, 
however, advantage may be derived from softening the hoof by 
fomentations and poultices, and by paring away all superfluous 
horn. When the pain is excessive, great relief may be obtained 
by abstracting blood either from the vessels around the coronet, 
or from the vascular network underneath the hoof. The blood 
may be drawn either with a lancet or a small fleam, and its flow 
may, if necessary, be encouraged by placing the foot in tepid 
water, and is easily stopped by the use of wet tow and a band- 
age. Where the hoofs have become overgrown, as in animals 
that have been stall-tied for a considerable time, they should be 
sawn across, or shortened with the knife. 
In the secondary stages of the disease, when the vesicles have 
come fully out, the pain is generally abated ; but advantage is 
often derived from washing the feet with cold salt water. In 
the more severe cases, oils of tar and turpentine are to be used, 
or a solution of sulphate of copper, half an ounce being dis- 
solved in a quart of water. This may be applied by placing 
over the ulcerations a piece of linen rag wetted with the solu- 
tion. The dressing should be put on lightly and sparingly, for 
the parts ought to be kept cool, and the irritation of unequal 
pressure avoided. The object of applying these solutions is to 
promote the cicatrization of the ulcers, and to prevent their tak- 
ing on an unhealthy action. The employment of caustics is in 
general attended by injurious consequences, and they should 
only be used where the ulceration shews a tendency to spread 
from the interdigital substance to the integuments. 
If the disease is tedious, and sinuses are formed, use cold ap- 
plications, which, from their astringent property, and from the 
low organization of the parts affected, are generally of more 
value than hot fomentations, and may be conveniently applied 
in the form of turnip or linseed-meal poultices. These must be 
kept soft, moist, and cool, by pouring upon them, at intervals, 
vinegar and water, sour or butter-milk, solutions of equal parts 
of sal-ammoniac and nitrate of potash, or of common salt and 
nitre of ammonia, or whatever else may be found convenient 
for keeping them moist and at a sufficiently low temperature. 
If this treatment be persevered in for some days without good 
effect, and especially if sloughings have taken place, hot appli- 
cations may be substituted for the cold ones. The foetid odour 
may be prevented, and the tendency to putrefaction arrested, by 
the use of a solution of nitric acid, in the proportion of twenty 
drops to an ounce of water. Yeast or charcoal mixed with the 
poultices, or chloride of lime sprinkled over the parts, will have 
a similar effect. In such cases the animals will be better in the 
