—The medicinal powers of this vegetable are highly praised for curing the bites of venomous serpents; in hypochondriasis; palpitations of the heart, &c.; of which, however, we have had no experience.
SPLENTS, in farriery, denote hard excrescences of various shape and size, appearing on the shank-bone of a horse.—Unless they arise from blows, or other accidents, few horses put out splents, after they are seven or eight years old; and, when occurring in young horses, they frequently wear off, and spontaneously vanish.
Splents, on their first appearance, should be well bathed with vinegar, or old verjuice; which often checks their farther progress: in some animals, purgatives and diet-drinks will contribute to remove watery swellings about the limbs, which frequently induce such malady.
According to Mr. Taplin, a radical cure may, in general, be effected by rubbing the excrescences, for a considerable time, twice every day, with the utmost force of the operator's hand; well moistening the part after each friction, with a little of the following liniment:—Take of camphorated spirit of wine, and spirit of turpentine, each 4 oz.; to be uniformly incorporated. Or, oil of origanum, and spirit of turpentine, each half an ounce; and camphorated spirit of wine 2 oz. to be duly mixed.—A pledget of tow, wetted with either of these preparations, ought to be fastened round the splent, with a proper bandage.
Should those powerful discutients fail of success, recourse must be had to the strongest mercurial ointment: a portion of the size of a hazel-nut, ought to be chafed into the part affected, every night and morning, till two oz. of it have been used; applying the roller or bandage, as before directed.
But, if these various remedies be insufficient to procure relief, the best and most speedy method, will be that of extirpating the excrescence by the knife.—This operation may be performed by a longitudinal incision through the integuments (without bruising, hammering, &c.), then dissecting, and extracting the substance: thus, the cure may be completed by taking up a couple of stitches, and treating the part like a superficial wound.
SPONGE, or Spongia, L. a genus of animal plants, comprehending 50 species, the principal of which is the officinalis, or Common Sponge. It is imported from the Levant; being a soft, porous, light, substance, which easily imbibes water.
Sponge is of extensive utility in domestic economy, medicine, and surgery. If it be cut in small pieces, fried or dipped in honey, and given to vermin, it distends their intestines, and effectually destroys them (see vol. iii. p. 476). As it strongly adheres to the orifices of wounded vessels, it is advantageously employed as a styptic; often preventing the effusion of blood more effectually than the puff-ball or agaric.—When burnt and pulverized, it has been successfully administered internally, in scrophulous complaints, and cutaneous diseases, in doses of one scruple and upwards: it is also considered as a specific, on account of its efficacy in removing the glandular swelling of the neck,
