THE H0K8E. 
89 
or first bone, without being attached to it, and the seat of inflammation 
is between the ligament and the bone beneath ; and being thus deeply 
situated, it is serious in its nature and difficult of treatment. 
Ihe first thing to be attempted is to abate the inflammation by bleed- 
ing, physic, and the application of cold lotions to the part. In a very 
early period of the case a blister might have considerable effect. Strong 
purgatives should also be employed. By these means the tumor will 
sometimes be dispersed. This system, however, must not be pursued 
too far. If the swelling increases, and the heat and tenderness likewise 
increase, matter will form in the tumor; and then our object should be 
to hasten its formation by warm fomentations, poultices, or stimulating 
embrocations. As soon as the matter is formed, which may be known 
by the softness of the tumor, and before it has time to spread around 
and eat into the neighboring parts, it should be evacuated. Now comes 
the whole art of treating poll-evil ; the opening into the tumor must he 
so contrived thcit oil the matter shall run out , and continue afterward to 
run out as quickly as it is formed, and not collect at the bottom of the 
ulcer, irritating and corroding it. This can be effected by a seton alone. 
Ihe needle should enter at the top of the tumor, penetrate through its 
bottom, and be brought out at the side of the neck, a little below the 
abscess. Without any thing more than this, except frequent fomenta- 
tion with warm water, in order to keep the part clean, and to obviate in- 
flammation, poll-evil in its early stage will frequently be cured. 
If the ulcer has deepened and spread, and threatens to eat into the 
ligaments of the joints of the neck, it may be necessary to stimulate its 
surface, and perhaps painfully so, in order to bring it to a healthy state, 
and dispose it to fill up. In extreme cases, some highly stimulating ap- 
plication may be employed. All measures, however, will be ineffectual 
unless the pus or matter is, by the use of setons, perfectly evacuated. 
The application of these setons will require the skill and anatomical 
knowledge of the veterinary surgeon. In desperate cases, the wound 
cannot be fairly exposed to the action of the caustic without the divi- 
sion of the ligament of the neck. This may be effected with perfect 
safety ; for, although the ligament is carried on to the occipital bone, 
and some strength is gained by this prolongation of it, the main stress 
is on the second bone; and the head will continue to be supported. 
Ihe divided ligament, also, will soon unite again, and its former useful- 
ness will be restored when the wound is healed.* 
* All cooling applications to the poll-evil are useless, for when once the swelling 
which constitutes the disease has appealed, we have never known it dispersed but 
sooner or later it suppurates. It often takes many months before the matter reaches 
the surface ; but the more complete the suppuration is, the easier it is to eltect a 
cure. The injury, which generally arises from striking the poU against a low door- 
way, is deep-seated, and the surface of the bone is often diseased from the begin- 
ning. 6 
It must be confessed that the poll-evil is very difficult to cure, a difficulty arising 
not lrom the character of the injury, but rather from its situation, and the nature of 
the surrounding parts. When matter forms in any situation, it has a tendency to 
pass downward, and to seek an exit where the least obstacles are oflered to its 
passage. It consequently forms passages or sinuses (pipes) amongst the muscles, 
and when these are filled the matter points to the surface. This tendency eon- 
