Boiling water 6 oz. to 8 oz.
Powdered cantharides 1 oz.
Macerate for twenty-four hours, and then add rectified spirit of wine,
four ounces; solution of corrosive sublimate in muriatic acid, one
drachm. To be kept well corked for two or three weeks before it is used:
it may then be either strained through blotting paper, and used as a
transparent tincture, or merely shaken up and employed as it is. The
solution of sublimate should be added at the time the blister is used.
Rectified spirit 2 oz.
Liquid ammonia 2 oz.
Oil of turpentine, origanum, or
rosemary (either) 1 oz.
Powdered cantharides 6 dr. to 1 oz.
Mix.
After a blister has been applied to the legs or hocks, the litter should
be removed, and the horse’s head should be confined or tied to the rack,
to prevent his rubbing the part with his nose; but this may be done
better by putting what is termed a cradle or necklace round his neck; he
may then be turned loose into a box and exercise himself, which is very
desirable after blistering. It is necessary to keep the cradle on for
about a fortnight, as they are apt to gnaw the part or injure the skin,
when the effect of the blister is going off, and an itching only
remains.
The following is a convenient method of making a blister, when the other
ingredients cannot be obtained:—Take of the blistering plaster, sold by
druggists, two ounces, melt or rather soften it by a gentle heat, and
mix with it oil of turpentine from half an ounce to one ounce.
* * * * *
_Blistered Heel._—If your heel should become galled by walking in a
water, or any other boot, you will immediately remedy the inconvenience
by applying a piece of gold-beater’s skin, and over that a little court
plaster, in order doubly to defend the part. But even in this trifle
there is a right and wrong way of going to work. Instead of cutting with
scissors, and merely wetting the plaster, let it be for a moment heated
by the fire, as well as wetted, being previously stamped with a wadding
punch; by which means, from having no angles, or corners, it will stick
as fast as your own skin; provided that, when on and dry, you put over
it a little cold cream, or any kind of grease, in order to repel the
damp.
The application that has been usually recommended to me by surgeons is a
diachylon plaster, which, in cold weather, curls up and torments you so
much in walking, that you soon become lame again, and then wish the
doctor at Jericho. Go to Godfrey’s or some other first-rate chemist, in
order to get the sticking plaster in perfection, as many a one has
poisoned his skin by not having the genuine article.
* * * * *
I have been prevented by an accident from accompanying the party; and
though my wound be “not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church
door,” it still renders me _hors de combat_. I blistered, or rather
neglected a blistered heel: and the fag of yesterday has so excoriated
the surface, as to make it imperative upon me to lie by for a little.
Antony engages to effect a perfect cure by tomorrow; and here I remain
_tête-à-tête_ with the otter-killer.
The old man proceeded skilfully enough; he lanced the blisters, and then
applied the cuticle which covers a sheep’s kidney, and which is very
similar in appearance and effect to what we call “gold-beaters’ leaf.”
This application prevented the heel from being frayed by the stocking.
To the remainder of the foot, he rubbed a hot mixture of tallow and
whiskey; and his remedy was “the sovereignest thing on earth,” for in
twelve hours the cure was effected.—_White_—_Hawker_—_Blaine_—_Wild
Sports of the West._
BLISTER, _v._ To rise in blisters; to raise blisters by some method.
BLOCK, _s._ A short heavy piece of timber; a sea term for a pulley.
_In Falconry_, a solid piece of wood, shaped like a sugar loaf, with the
six upper inches broken off, whereon the hawk perches, being tied to it
by the leash, which goes through the last link of a small iron swivel
fixed in its side.—_Campbell._
BLOOD, _s._ The red liquor that circulates in the bodies of animals.
BLOOD, _v._ To stain with blood; to inure to blood, as a hound.
In essential characters and properties, blood is the same in all
animals: in some, it wants the colouring matter, but it is invariably
red in the higher orders, though the intensity of its hue varies with
circumstances, the principal instance of which is that afforded between
the venous and arterial; where it is, in the former, almost purple, but
in the latter a bright scarlet.
The specific gravity of the blood is very differently estimated, it
being subject to increase and decrease at different times. Disease and
emaciation make it lighter, while in the contrary states, from its more
perfect organisation, it is found heavier. If water be estimated at
1000, the specific gravity of blood may be reckoned at 1050; from which
it may, however, be increased to 1120. Venous blood is heavier than
arterial, as 1052 is to 1049; but these data vary.
The temperature of the blood in the horse is about 100°; in the ox, 102;
and in the sheep, 103: but various circumstances tend to increase or
decrease it. Arterial blood is usually one or two degrees warmer than
venous: Mr. Vines, I believe, rates the difference much higher. Some
diseases reduce the heat of the blood, and ardent inflammations are also
capable of augmenting it. The quantity that an animal contains, in
proportion to his bulk, has been endeavoured to be ascertained: but the
results have been various. Very fat animals are found usually to have
proportionally less than lean ones; and in those in a state of close
confinement, the quantity is found to be smaller than in the wild; but
it is evident, that as the calculation must be in a degree imaginary,
from that which will remain in the vessels, so the real quantity is not
easy to estimate. A medium sized horse has lost forty-four pounds
without apparent injury, and most of them will lose one-fifteenth of
their total weight before life becomes extinct: it may, therefore, be
presumed that it forms one-tenth of the whole: Mr. Percivall thinks
one-eighth.
BLOOD-HOUND (_Canis Sanguinarius_), _s._ A hound that follows by the
scent.
[Illustration]
In the darker ages the blood-hound had the fabulous reputation of
pursuing naturally with unerring precision, and of taking murderers,
robbers, and other depredators, if he were laid on the footsteps of
those intended to be pursued, within a certain given time. We, however,
cannot give our assent to the character thus ascribed to him, although
experience has taught us, that all sorts of hounds may be broken in to
follow any kind of scent, when resolutely taught that they are to run on
no other.
One of the principal uses in which the blood-hound was employed by our
ancestors, was in recovering game that had escaped wounded from the
hunter. And he was taught also to pursue felons, which he would do
through thickets, and the most secret coverts; and, if they had lately
escaped, they were almost certain of being retaken. For this reason
there was a law in Scotland, enacting, that whoever denied entrance to
one of these dogs, in pursuit of stolen goods, should be deemed an
accessory. And they were also much used on the borders, between England
and Scotland, which were greatly infested by robbers and murderers; and
a tax was laid on the inhabitants for keeping and maintaining a certain
number of these animals. The arm of justice is now, however, so
effectually extended over Great Britain, and cultivation so general,
that there are no secret haunts where villany can be concealed; which
renders this part of the services of the blood-hound no longer
necessary. In Scotland this dog was called the sleuth-hound. A few of
this race are still kept in the royal forests for the purpose of finding
deer that have been previously wounded; and even lately they have been
employed in tracing deer-stealers, which they do from the blood which
issues from the wounds of the animal.
The blood-hound is tall and most beautifully formed, and is usually of a
reddish or brown colour, and exceeds in size, weight, strength, and
courage, every other variety of hound. He possesses a kind of sagacious,
or serious solemn dignity, admirably calculated to impress the marauder
with dread and awe; and at one period, when he was destined to a single
pursuit, he was kept a stranger to every other. Much care was taken to
prevent those dogs from following the sports of the field, and they were
scrupulously taught to trace the footsteps of man alone. At the time
they were so much in use, deer-stealing was extremely prevalent in Great
Britain, which rendered a constant vigilance on the part of
park-keepers, necessary; and when necessity required, in their nocturnal
watching, to trace a depredator, when once laid upon the scent, they so
closely and keenly pursued, that they infallibly traced and discovered
the offending party. Somerville finely describes the manner in which
these animals pursue the nightly poacher.
* * * * *
To try whether a young blood-hound was well instructed, a nobleman
caused one of his servants to walk to a town four miles from thence. The
dog, without seeing the man he was to pursue, followed him by the scent
to the above-mentioned places, notwithstanding the multitude of people
going the same road, and of travellers that had occasion to cross it.
When the hound came to the chief market-town, he passed through the
streets, without noticing any of the people there, till he got to the
house where the man he sought was, and there found him in an upper room.
* * * * *
Blood-hounds were formerly employed by the Spanish chasseurs in the
island of Cuba, for hunting down maroons and fugitive slaves. Mr. Dallas
thus describes them:—
“The dogs carried out by the Chasseurs del Ré are perfectly broken in,
that is to say, they will not kill the object they pursue, unless
resisted. On coming up with a fugitive, they bark at him till he stops;
they then crouch near him, terrifying him with a ferocious growling, if
he stirs. In this position they continue barking, to give notice to the
chasseurs, who come up and secure their prisoner; each chasseur, though
he can hunt only with two dogs, properly is obliged to have three, which
he maintains at his own cost, and that at no small expense. These people
live with their dogs, from which they are inseparable. At home the dogs
are kept chained, and, when walking with their masters, are never
unmuzzled, or let out of ropes, but for attack. They are constantly
accompanied with one or two small dogs, called finders, whose scent is
very keen, and always sure of hitting off a track. Dogs and bitches hunt
equally well, and the Chasseurs rear no more than will supply the number
required. This breed of dogs, indeed, is not so prolific as the common
kind, though infinitely stronger and hardier. The animal is the size of
a very large hound, with ears erect, which are usually cropped at the
points; the nose more pointed, but widening very much towards the upper
part of the jaw. His coat, or skin, is much harder than that of most
dogs, and so must be the whole structure of the body, as the severe
beatings he undergoes in training would kill any other species of dog.
There are some, but not many, of a more obtuse nose, and which are
rather squarer set. These, it may be presumed, have been crossed by the
mastiff; but if by this the bulk has been a little increased, it has
added nothing to the strength, height, beauty, or agility, of the native
breed.”—_Brown_—_Boyle_—_Dallas._
BLOTCH, _s._ A spot or pustule upon the skin.
BLUE, _a._ One of the seven original colours.
_To dye Blues and Greens._—You must have two pickling crocks that well
hold eight quarts each; fill them with clean urine, let them stand for
eight days. Pound two ounces of Spanish indigo, separate. Put it into a
small flannel bag, each ounce; put a bag into each crock, and carefully
squeeze out the indigo; let it stand two or three days; stir it each
day, and when you see a shining scum on it, it is in order to work. It
will dye feathers, mohair, or hog’s fur; any hackles, or fur dyed with
this must be brightened with a solution of liquid blue made with boiling
water, with a little of the liquid poured into it for each shade.
_To make liquid blue._—A pound of the oil of vitriol and an ounce of the
best Spanish indigo pounded very fine and sifted; pour the vitriol into
a three-pint delft bowl, put the indigo in, and stir it with a clean
stick for half-an-hour; add of soft water by little and little one pint,
stirring it all the time till the fermentation is over; then bottle it
for use. This gives the finest blues and greens, _but they fade_; you
are not to touch your blueing vat with any thing that is yellow.
_For blues._—You ought to get the finest of whites, and prepare them
well; have the urine vat in good order. Stir up the vat, throw in the
feathers in as many bunches as you intend to have shades; lift them out
now and then to strike the air. When a middling bright blue, take out a
bunch; let the second lie in for double the time and more, and air them
as directed. When you see a fine full blue, take out another bunch. You
may let the third bunch lay in for two or three days; but as soon as you
take out each bunch, you should have about six drops of solution blue in
a bowl with a pint of boiling water; rinse them well in that, and it
will clean them. If you see it wants it, add in a few drops more, and it
will still add to the brightness. Put them instantly into cold water,
and wash them well. Do the same three or four times; thus you will have
fine deep blues, bright and fast.
_Powder blues._—Follow the same process, but do not leave them till
done; draw and air them every half-hour; and when of a proper colour,
have some boiling water, and from four to six drops of solution to rise
and brighten them; and if you see it requires it, add a few drops more.
Wash, &c., as before.
_A very bright blue._—Ground richly with an archill. Wash in stale
urine; put your feathers into the urine vat for half-an-hour; take out
and air them, and do as with all the rest. Boiling water, solution
water, &c.—_Old Recipes._
BLUE-BOTTLE, _s._ A fly with a large blue belly.
BLUENESS, _s._ The quality of being blue.
BLUE-STONE, BLUE VITRIOL, or SULPHATE OF COPPER, _s._ A mild
caustic, and, when dissolved, a mild detergent and astringent
lotion. By the addition of any of the mineral acids it becomes a
strong caustic. When in solution with vinegar and water, it
makes a good wash for the foot-rot in sheep. When very weak it
may be applied to the eye. It is a tonic used in _diabetes_ and
_farcy_.
BLUNT, _a._ Dull on the edge or point; not sharp.
BOAR, _s._ The male swine.
BODY, _s._ The material substance of an animal; matter; strength—as,
wine of a good body.—The coating or wool of an artificial fly.
BOG, _s._ A marsh, a fen, a morass.
BOLE, _s._ The body or trunk of a tree.
BOLE ARMENIA, _s._ Little used but as an application to ulcers,
where the discharge is thin and acrimonious.
BOLT, _s._ An arrow; a dart; a thunderbolt. Bolt upright, that is,
upright as an arrow; the bar of a door; an iron to fasten the
legs.
BOLT, _v._ To spring out with speed and suddenness. To gib, or
diverge from the course.
BOLUS, _s._ A medicine made up into a soft mass larger than pills.
BONE, _s._ The solid parts of the body of an animal.
The bones of birds are nearly all hollow, and communicating with the
lungs, are thence filled with air, so as to render them more buoyant for
flight. The breast bone (_sternum_) extends much lower than in
quadrupeds, and is distinguished by a ridge like the keel of a ship,
except in the ostrich, &c., which do not fly. The bones of the wings are
similar to the fore-legs of quadrupeds.—_Rennie._
BOOM, _v._ To rush with violence. To make a noise like a bittern.