IIG 
THE COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF THE 
some part of their body, it being the favourite means of diver¬ 
sion of inflammation in all visceral diseases, as the application 
of leeches to the anus is in their human therapeutics. 
Then, again, the race horse. When visiting Count Duval de 
Beaulieu, at his chateau in Belgium, last week, and looking over 
his immense stud*, I was shewn a three-year old colt that had 
been castrated a fortnight back, for the purpose of favouring his 
legs, which, last year, were in such a doubtful state as to render 
it necessary to stop him in his work, to prevent his breaking 
down. Now, to an unpractised eye, there appeared to be nothing 
amiss with these “doubtful” legs : in fact, it was not until I had 
drawn my hand the third time down what was considered the 
most doubtful of them, that I discovered a slight thickening of 
the suspensory ligament. “What shall I do with this leg?*' 
said the count^s trainer (Howard) to me; ‘Mo you think the 
mercurial charge would answer ?” ** The mercurial charge,” 
I replied, has done wonders for me, in cases of bulging en¬ 
largements of hunters’ legs, but I cannot prescribe for those of a 
race horse. What do you yourself think of doing with it?” 
“ Why,” resumed he, “ I am waiting for it to get quite cool (it 
was then nearly cold to the touch), when I shall run the irons 
over it.” “What think you of a setonV^ continued I. The 
trainer shook his head, apparently as ignorant of the effect of 
setons on the legs of a horse as I am of the Hindostannee 
language. 
Now, before I would join Mr. Sewell in the general, much less 
total, abandonment of the firing-iron, I should like to be in¬ 
formed whether, in such a case as this, the seton would be more 
effectual; for it must be observed, there is no tampering with 
doubtful measures in regard to the legs of race-horses. It would 
be a great point gained, if such it could be proved to be; for, 
notwithstanding that Professor Vatel (see June No. p. 295), in 
testifying to the merits of the cautery, tells us that, when “ ap¬ 
plied to weakened limbs, it causes them to recover, to a certain 
extent, their former vigour, their perpendicularity, and both the 
suppleness and the firmness of their motion,” still there is, I fear, 
always more or less rigidity in fired legs, which is not favourable 
to the race-horse—at least when the operation has been severe. 
In fact, I can only call to mind one instance of a racer beating a 
good field of horses, and winning a large stakes, after having 
been deeply fired for what trainers call “ a very bad legi*.” 
Again, when visiting Viscount Kelburne, in my Scotch tour, 
* Altogether nearly 300 horses. 
f Claude Loraine won the Gloucestershire stakes at Cheltenham after 
this operation. 
