ACTUAL CAUTERY AND THE SETON. 
21 
systems, in particular cases, and this is a most interesting point. 
He considers the seton a mild counter-irritant, and, to a certain 
extent, a promoter of absorption. Its great use, he says (observe 
I put these epithets in italics), appears to lie in diminishing in¬ 
flammation by the secretion of pus. It may, therefore, he con¬ 
tinues, be advantageously employed in the early stages of spasm, 
curb, thorough-pin, joint capsular lameness, and after the ope¬ 
ration of subcutaneous periosteotomy. It is also, he adds, of 
considerable utility in recent strains of the shoulder or hip ; in 
diseases of the elbow and stifle joint; and should always be had 
recourse to in those cases. Now, to every word of this I yield 
my unqualified assent. It may be—it is—successfully resorted to 
in all ihose cases, and let us hope, if it be the milder operation 
of the two-, that it ever will be resorted to when available ; but, 
where is the remedy for the broken-down leg ? where the reason 
for the abandonment of the firing-iron ? Certainly not in this 
essay of Mr. Mayer’s, nor to be even conceived from either his 
opinions or his practice. His concluding remarks, however, on 
their respective results, are equally creditable to him as a man 
of science and humanity. The actual cautery, he says, is a 
'powerful counter-irritant, and a promoter of absorption, and for 
this cause it is much to be depended upon for the cure of exos¬ 
tosis, chronic lameness generally, and enlargement of joints ; 
still he leaves it to the practitioner to have recourse to it only 
when milder means—the seton of course—are not likely to suc¬ 
ceed. Implicit reliance on the seton is not to be found here ; 
and I venture to say, wo be to the veterinary surgeon who 
brings his firing-irons to London in his trunk, and deposits them 
as mere relics of his art.” 
1 conclude ray observations on this paper in a few more words. 
The advice of Vegetius, quoted by its author, is excellent ; ^^give 
the fire,” he says, “ at needful times, with judgment and discre¬ 
tion.” Now the needful times” are those alone which expe¬ 
rience has pointed out, namely, when the leg is in a fit state to 
receive the operation, and when there is reason to believe milder 
remedies would be of no avail. That of Mr. Mayer to the stu¬ 
dents, about to enter upon the duties of their profession, is, as 
regards the cautery, a mere echo of those words. Place these 
two remedies,” says he, “ on your list; place the actual cautery 
He should, however, have added the trite conclusion to 
this much-used apophthegm— '^though not leasts 
I next come to Mr. Sibbald, who claims the privilege of seni- 
ores priores, in having his “ say” on this important point. 
Although I could wish this gentleman had informed us what 
