172 
THE COMPARATIVE EFP^ECT OF THE 
passage, stating how the operation is performed, together with 
its results, is given in strong, forcible language, carrying con- 
^ viction, to a certain point, difficult to resist. 
The President [p. 168] confirms the pretty general acknow¬ 
ledgment of the fact, that the absurd practice of firing colts, 
as a preventive of disease, is abandoned by the breeders of the 
North of England, to whom, to their discredit, had the practice 
been alone confined. He says, “ God never made works for 
man to interfere with, to blemish, and destroy.” Certainly not; 
although he does permit us to improve and beautify—witness 
the British race-horse, the Hereford or Durham ox, the new 
Leicester sheep, &:c. Still it may be a doubt whether he intended 
the horse to be used as we use him—to travel at the rate of twelve 
miles in the hour on a hard road ; at the rate of twenty over a 
soft country—clearing all the obstacles which oppose him; and 
to outstrip the wind over the course. It has been my lot to have 
had two horsgs wliose limbs had been scored in their youth, the 
marks scarcely visible, and consequently of little avail. 
Mr. Sibbald gives us two cases of setoning, both which proved 
failures, the disease afterwards yielding to the application of the 
actual cautery. Be it observed, however, that they had reference 
to diseases—curb and ossified cartilage—made exceptions by the 
President in his mode of treatment. Mr. Sibbald agrees with 
my opinion of the extent of torture inflicted by the usual method 
of firing—but going rather beyond me in asserting that it does 
not exceed that of a common blister, and, when compared with 
the seton, that it is mercy ! His faith in the bandage is but 
weak, proving the truth of the adage of who shall decide when 
doctors disagree ? ” 
Mr. Sparrow places the merits of each operation in his scales, 
but gives the seton the preponderance. And taking the entire 
animal, no doubt he is right; because, for two parts to which 
the actual cautery can be applied, there are three or more in 
which the seton may be useful. This, however, shews what a 
benefit the profession has acquired by the united aid of both. 
The two cases, however, produced by Mr. Sparrow, as relieved 
by setoning, are not satisfactory, the Jinnl results being wanting. 
I have seen a hundred horses in my time sound at the end of a 
few weeks, after various remedial measures had been applied, but 
lame again after the first hard day’s work. 
Mr. Daws bears witness to the o;ood effects of the seton in 
various parts of the body, and its total uselessness in others. 
He then specifies those diseases to which the cautery is the only 
sure remedy, and hence the necessity of the wide diffusion of ve¬ 
terinary knowledge. This gentleman appears to have been un- 
