CAUTERY AND SETON. 
679 
I could give many other instances, shewing the good to be 
derived from the application of setons ; but those which I 
have already stated will, I trust, convince your readers of their 
UTILITY. 
The value of the actual cautery is well known to every veteri- 
nary surgeon. In particular cases, as for example, curbs, ring- 
bones, ossification of the lateral cartilages, injury to the suspen- 
sory ligament and its divisions, old sprains, in some instances of 
grogginess, chronic swellings such as old callosities, weakness 
of the fore legs, debility of the ligamentous connexions of the 
large and small pastern bones, and caries of the bones, I have made 
some very good cures. I remember a case of a bay colt which 
had been lame for eighteen months from caries of two of the coffin- 
bones, from the clips having been hammered too close to tfie 
crust. There was a constant oozing of a serous fluid, of a dark 
colour, from the centre of the toe. A round shoe was applied to 
the foot, with a portable clip. The cautery was had recourse to, 
which in three weeks produced exfoliation of the diseased por- 
tion of the bone, and it healed kindly after the application of 
tincture of myrrh and tow. The horse got perfectly round. 
One of the canal horses belonging to Mr. Strachan had a 
carious jaw, from bruising the tables of his jaw-bones in rearing 
up with a running halter. The actual cautery was applied, and 
the diseased bone, after having been poulticed for about three 
weeks, sloughed, and the wound healed up kindly. 
I believe that I state the general opinion of veterinarians when 
I say, that firing acts as a permanent bandage, as the skin is 
considerably thickened by its application, the amount of cellular 
membrane" diminished, adhesions form here and there, the skin 
becomes more firmly warped to the bones and tendons, and con- 
sequently gives more strength and confidence to the animal when 
his physical powers are called into play. There is no operation 
which is more creditable to the veterinary surgeon when properly 
done, that is, neatly and effectually. But when performed in a 
bungling manner, nothing tends more to lower his professional 
character in the eyes of his employer, as the blemish, every time 
he sees the horse, stares him in the face. 
In firing, I generally throw the horse, particularly when it is 
required for the posterior extremities. By doing this, you can 
operate more neatly, and with greater confidence ; and it is quite 
absurd to run the risk of getting your wrist sprained, your ancle 
dislocated, or your muscles softened, by being fool-hardy. For 
my own part, I never injured a horse by throwing him, but have 
more than once got myself injured by not having the horse ori his 
back. 
