ON DEEP FIRING. 
217 
tinued. The horse was returned to his owner in a month, almost 
freed from lameness; and in the course of the following spring 
was put to posting, at which work he continues. I have seen 
him repeatedly pulling (for such is his temper) heavy carriages 
over our Mackadamized roads without any apparent inconveni- 
ence from his fired leg. 
Case II. — On the 3d of January, 1839, an eight-years old 
bay horse was brought to me very lame on the near fore-leg, from 
broken down sinews, and perhaps diseased fetlock joint. The 
branches of the suspensory ligament were hard and thickened. 
I lowered the horse as in the former case, and fired him through 
the skin with the red-hot iron, making four wounds, each seven 
inches in length — in front, at the rear of, and on each side of the 
fetlock-joint. I took four quarts of blood from the jugular vein, 
and immediately commenced a fomentation with cold water, 
which w r as continued without interruption for three days. On 
the second night two quarts of blood were drawn from the plate 
vein. On the fourth day suppuration commenced, and I then 
allowed my patient some hay. 
The widest and deepest parts of the wounds measured as fol- 
lows : — in front, three inches wide, one inch deep ; on the out- 
side, one inch wide, one inch deep ; at the back two inches and 
a half wide, but scarcely more than skin deep ; on the inside 
the wound did not separate widely. 
The symptoms on the 6th day were copious suppuration, weak 
cough, sloughy effluvia from the wounds. I gave a diuretic ball, 
some hay, and bran mashes. 
On the 7th day there was dulness, and fatigue from standing. 
I allowed bran mashes and hay. 
8th day. — I increased his keep. He was observed to rest the 
fired leg in order to keep it relaxed, and only to stand upon it 
when the other fore leg was tired. The circumference of the in- 
flamed leg, at the thickest part of it, was sixteen inches ; that of 
the sound one at the same part, namely, opposite the sessamoid 
bones, ten inches. 
9th day. — The fired leg was painful. It was often lifted, and 
held in the air — the pulse quickened — the fseces in small quan- 
tity — the tips of the ears cold and moist, with a discharge of a 
gelatinous nature from the wounds. By the abstraction of one 
quart of blood from the jugular vein the action of the heart 
became slower and weaker. I gave him a purging ball, and a 
mild diuretic at night, and fed him on mashes only. 
10th day. — The horse is easy — the pulse quiet — the leg not 
painful — the diuretic acting — no sign of purging — the tendon 
