FIRING HORSES. 
559 
which I had been in the habit of employing painful remedies 
for, 1 should feel it my duty to adopt the former, even though 
they required a longer interval of time; and I should do so, not 
merely on the score of humanity, but on the score of the mild 
remedies being in themselves perfectly innocuous to the animal; 
whereas the severe ones (although they cured the disease) 
might not be so. I therefore must repeat, that it is a proud day 
for veterinary surgery to be able to boast, that the tortures of 
the red hot iron are, in a great measure, superseded by mild but 
equally efficacious measures; or (what amounts to the same 
thing, as regards our present argument) that we are enabled to 
effect that by innocent and painless means which was only at¬ 
tainable by our predecessors with harsh and cruel remedies. 
I am therefore led to conclude, that the operation of firing is 
only less generally practised than it used to be—by no means 
“abandoned:" because, for my own part, I feel convinced that 
there are cases that nothing else will remedy ; and because I still 
meet with old practitioners enough who are of the same opinion. 
With regard to the other—the main point embraced by 
Mr. Turner's “ Inquiry,"—he observes, “ Viewing the other 
method (viz. the superficial ), my practice of firing horses has 
convinced me, that the success of the operation, if performed 
for the removal of lameness, when the ordinary means have 
failed, whether situate in a joint or sinew, depends solely in 
making each separate line or incision, from end to end, com¬ 
pletely through the skin , cutis as w ell as cuticle , and boldly ex¬ 
posing the cellular tissue , forming the immediate covering of 
tendons, ligaments, periosteum, &c. with all due caution, of 
course, not to pass the instrument so near as to wound or sear 
these important structures." 
Without meaning to attach any unqualified disapprobation to 
Mr. Turner’s violent mode of procedure, I have no hesitation in 
asserting, that, as a general practice, it is a practice highly to 
be censured: that man who fires every subject that may require 
firing, without any discrimination whatever, completely through 
the skin , w ill do a vast deal of mischief—will certainly ruin some 
horses, although he may prove the means of restoring others. 
Firing, even when superficially practised, is an operation of much 
severity and after-consequence, and on this account is more espe¬ 
cially one which requires much scientific modification, in ac¬ 
cordance with the case wherein it is employed: surely Mr. Turner 
will not have the hardihood to maintain, that the deep firing is the 
only effectual mode of proceeding. 
I would fain, in this place, enter into some account of the ap¬ 
plication, modus operand ?, &c. of firing: but, as Mr. Turner has 
