Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

652 GENERAL TRAINING OF MAN. application, suchas a linseed poultice, or the division by means of the knife. Either of these remedies more or less speedily puts an end to the inactive condition, and then a healthy sup­ puration goes on to remove the cell, and by throwing up fresh granulations, as they are called, to restore what has been removed. Such is the nature and ordinary treatment of a boil; but in training it isalmost impossible to bear the use of the knife, if the boil is on any part which is subjected to much friction. In othersituations it may be used, but when a boil occurs on the seat of the rower, as is so often the case, if the knife is used, at least a week or ten days must be lost before the patient can expose the raw surface to the friction of the thwart. Here, there­ fore, the best plan is to apply a plaster, spread on leather, and composed of equal parts of mercurial and opiate plaster. This stimulates and relaxes the inflamed vessels, and the opiate relieves the pain to a great degree; but even this is only a partial remedy, as without rest it is impossibleentirely to relieve boils. To those who are known to be subject to boils I would recommend, as a preventive, the use of a wash of nitrate of silver of the strength of 15 to 20 grains to the ounce. This should be painted over the part every night, and will, of course, turn it more or less black,but it seems to give tone to the vessels, and to prevent that low and conges­ tive state which precedes the death of the cellular membrane ; at all events it prevents the formation of boils. HERNIA OR EUPTURE is a mechanical protrusion of a portion of intestine, and, in theordinary way, may be either at the navelor at the groin. Wherever it is, itrequires theconstant use (by day only) ofa truss ; and all thatis required is, that the instrument shouldbe exact­ ly adapted to the part whichit has to perform. A rupture maybe generally distinguished from other tumours, even by an unskilled person, if the hand is placed upon it during the act of coughing. At the moment when the cough is heard, a strong impulse will be given to the hand, and the hernia will for amoment appear muchharder and somewhat larger. This peculiar sensation can scarcely be mistaken, and the sufferer shouldat once proceed to a good surgical instrument-maker, for the purpose of being fitted with a good truss. If he is not already in a position to make aselection fromthe many who profess to make perfectly- fitting trusses, he had better ask his usual professional attendant to advise him, and itis more especialty necessary in the country ; but if in London, he cannot do better than submit himself to Mr. Cole of Charing-Cross, whose trusses are at once the simplest and the most efficient by far of all those with which I am acquainted. They have all the advantages of those so long patented by Salmon and Ody, without their disadvantages, and the only drawback is their price. How­ ever, I would strongly adviseall those who suffer fromthis accident to apply to him, if they can muster the necessary sum, as the truss is exceedingly well adapted for all manly exercises, being light and yielding, yet strong enough to bear themost violent strain. Many plans have been propounded for trusses without springs, but they arevery in­ efficient in all cases, and wholly un- suited to our present purpose — viz. that of retaining arupture in its posi­ tion during violentaction of the body, yet without impeding that action. HAEMORRHOIDS , or as they are com­ monly called. Piles, are very often exceedingly troublesome in training; they are generally symptomatic of c n­ gestion of the liver, and are relieved by those measures which remove that condition. The reason for this is ob­ vious—the veins which return the blood to the heart from the lower bowels pass through the liver in their way, and consequently, whatever impedes the passage of the blood through them has a tendency to produce the effect on the hsemorrhoidal veins. H;emoj- rhoids are, in fact, varicose veins in the rectum, sometimes bleeding incon­ sequence of their walls giving way; they arealso divided into external and internal piles—the distinction, however, being only one of situation. It will be unnecessary forme to describe the appearance of these troublesome little swellings, as they are so exceedingly common asto be well known to almost every one. In their treatment three points are to be attended to—first, to unload the liver ; secondly, toprevent mechanical irritation by the presence and passage ofsolid faeces; and thirdly, to allay the inflammationalready cxiflt-