Encyclopaedia Britannica; or, A dictionary of arts and sciences, compiled upon a new plan … > Volume 2, C-L

FARR
rock allum, finely powdered ; fpirit of turpentine,
and wine, of each half an ounce; mix them well
together.
As great weaknefs remains in the patterns after violent
ftrains, the belt method is to turn the horfe out to grais
till he is perfeftly recovered; when this cannot be com¬
plied with, the general way is to blitter and fire.
When a horfe is lame in the JUJie, he generally treads
on his toe, and cannot fet the heel to the ground. Treat
him at firft with die vinegar and cooling rettringents ; but
-if a large fwelling, with puffinefs, enfues, foment it well
with the difcutient fomentation till it difperfes; and then-
bathe the part with any of the above medicines.
A lanienefs in the •whirl-bone and hip, is difcovered by
the horfe’s dragging his leg after him, and dropping
-backward on his heel when he trots. If the mufcles of
the hip are only injured, this kind of lamenefs is cured
eafily ; but when the ligaments of the joint are afFeded,
the cure is often very difficult, tedious, and uncertain.
In either cafe, at firtt bathe the parts well with the cool¬
ing medicines, four or .five times a-day ; in the mufcular
ttrain, this method alone may fucceed ; but in the liga¬
mentous, it is rett and time only can rettore the injured
parts to their proper tone.
Strains in the hock are to be treated by foaking the parts
with coolers and repellers; but when the ligaments are
hurt, and they are attended with great weaknefs and
pain, ufe the fomentation. If a hardnefs fhould remain
on the outfide, it may be removed by repeared Wittering ;
if within, it may be out of the power of-any external ap¬
plications to remove ; however, the joint fliould be fired
gently with fmall razes or lines pretty clofe together,
and then covered with a mercurial plaifter. To the dif-
cutiertt fomentation above mentioned may be added crude
fal armoniac, with a handful of wood-atties boiled in it.
The bliftering ointment for the above purpofes may be
found in the Seiftion of Bone-fpavin j but the fublimate
fhould be omitted.
The firing, ufed for the ftrengthening relaxed finews
or tendons, Ihould aft only on the fitin, which, by con-
trafting and hardening it all round the finews, compreffes
them more firmly like a bandage. The bow-men of old
fubmitted to this operation, in order to give ftrength to the
mufcles and tendons of their arms. A proper degree of
Ikill is very requifite to perform it effeftually on a horfe;
for a due medium ftiould be obferved, and the inftrument
neither fo ftightly applied, as to fcarify the fkin only fu-
perficially, nor fo deep as to wound or cauterize the. fi-
new or its (heath. The lines fiiould be drawn pretty
clofe together, on each fide of the joint or finew, follow¬
ing the courfe of the hair ; no crofs lines ttiould be made,
as they but disfigure the horfe afterwards, without any
real ufe. The firing inttrument, or knife, -ought to be a
little rounded on the edge, gradually thickening to the
back, that it may retain the heat for fome time, but
fliould not be applied till the flaming rednefs is partly
gone off* The cauterized parts may be bathed with
fpirit of wine at firft, and anointed afterwards with bees¬
wax and oil, which alone is fuffkient to complete the
cure.
Voi.. II. No 50. ^
I E R Y. 56?
Of T u mo u r and Imfosthu me s.
Tumours, or fwellings, arife either from external
injuries, or internal caufes.
Swellings, caufed by external accidents, as blows and
bruifes, fliould at f/rft be treated with reftringents ; thus,
let the part be bathed frequently with hot vinegar or ver¬
juice, and, where it will admit of bandage, let a flannel
wetted with the fame be rolled on : if by this method the
fwelling does not fubfide, apply, efpecially on the legs, a
poultice with red-wine lees, ftrong-beer grounds, and
oatmeal, or with vinegar, oil, and oatmeal; either of
thefe may be continued twice a-day, after bathing, till
the fwelling abates ; when, in order to difperfe it entire¬
ly, the vinegar ftiould be changed for camphorated fpirit
of wine, to four ounces of which may be added one of
fpirit of fal armoniac; or it may be bathed with a mix¬
ture of two ounces of crude fal armoniac boiled in a quart
of chamber-lye, twice a day, and rags dipped in the fame
may be rolled on.
Fomentation made by boiling worm-wood, bay-leaves,
and rofemary, and adding a proper quantity of fpirits,
are often of great fervice to thin the juices, and fit them
for tranfpiration ; efpecially if the injury has affefted the
joints.
But in bruifes, where the extravafated blood will not
by thefe means be difperfed, the fliorteft way is to open
the fltin, and let out the grumes.
Critical tumours, or fwellings, which terminate fevers,
ttiould by no means be difperfed ; except when they fall
on the pattern or coflin joint, fo as to endanger them: in
this cafe the difcutient fomentation, (p. 568. col. 1.
bottom) ftiould be applied three or four times a-day,
and a cloth or flannel frequently wrung out of the fame
ftiould be bound on, in order to keep the joint continual¬
ly breathing.
But if the fwelling fixes under the jaws, behind the
ears, on the poll, withers, or in the groins and (heath, •be.
it (hould be encouraged and forwarded by ripening poul
tices where-ever they can be applied; oatmeal boiled
foft in milk, to which a proper quantity of oil and lard
is added, may anfwer this purpofe; or the poultice re¬
commended in the Seftion of Strangles: thefe mutt be
applied twice a-day, till the matter is perceived to fluc¬
tuate under the fingers, when it ought to be let out • for
which purpofe, let the tumour be opened with a knife or
ftrong lancet, the whole length of the fwelling, if it can
be done fafely; for nothing contributes fo much to a kind
healing, as the matter’s having a free difeharge, and the
openings being big enough to drefs to the bottom.
Pledgets of tow, fpread with black or yellow bafilicoa
(or the wound ointment) and dipped in the fame, melted
down with a fifth part of oil of turpentine, (hould be ap¬
plied to the bottom of the fore, and filled up lightly with
the fame, without cramming; it may be thus drefled
once or twice a-day, if the difeharge is great, till a pro¬
per digeftion is procured, when it (hould be changed for
pledgets ipread with the red precipitate ointment, applied
in the fame manne* .
6 D
Should