The pointer is always a fidgety, impatient dog; and if there is any thing about the face, or any little heat in the ear to annoy him, he will shake his head and flap and beat his ears without mercy. In consequence of this, a sore is produced on the edge of the ear, of a corroding nature, and which eats even through the cartilage, making a deep slit into it.

The sportsman having in vain tried many an application in order to get rid of this, often proceeds in a summary way. He rounds the ear, i. e., he cuts off apportion of the flap, including the whole extent of the slit; and then he rounds the edges of the remaining part, in order to produce as little deformity as possible.

It is notorious, however, that this operation, which would seem to promise perfect success, fails much oftener than it succeeds. Possibly, care has not been taken to prevent the blood from flowing over the old wound, and then back again upon the new one, and so empoisoning the freshly cut edge: but, whatever be the cause, the sportsman sometimes has recourse to his rounding iron again and again, until he is tired of punishing the poor animal, or the dog has no more ear to lose. It is also to be observed, that the repetition of the rounding produces so much inflammation of the ear, that a worse species of canker is frequently set up in the internal part of it.

The principle on which the cure of canker is founded is the confinement of the ear, and the prevention of fresh irritation; therefore a cap must be procured which will reach round the head and tie under the jaw, and fairly include the ear. A running string must go' along the side towards the face, and also that which comes behind the ear, while a shorter string is sewed in the centre. By means of these tapes or strings the cap may be tied securely over the head above the eyes, and round the neck behind the ears, and the flapping of the ear altogether prevented.

An ulcer of this character will require some stimulating application in order to induce it to heal.

Recipe (No. 4). Canker Ointment

Take - White vitriol; and Alum, of each a drachm: reduce them to a fine powder, and mix them with Four ounces of lard.

This must not merely be smeared over the sore, or placed on it by means of a piece of lint, but gently, yet well rubbed into the crack.

Should this produce much inflammation and swelling, the application of it may be omitted for a day, and the healing ointment substituted.

Recipe (No. 5). Healing Ointment

Take - Palm-oil, three pounds;

Resin, one pound: melt them together, and when they begin to cool, add Finely-powdered calamine, one pound: Stir the mixture until the whole is fixed.

When the inflammation is thus subdued, the canker ointment must be again applied, unless the wound begins to assume a healthy appearance, and heals at the edges, in which case the healing ointment must be continued until the cure is complete.

It will sometimes happen that the caustic ointment, after being apparently used with advantage for some time, begins to lose its effect. It must be then changed for another application, equally stimulating, but of a different nature.

Recipe (No. 6). Stronger Canker Ointment

Take - Nitrate of silver, one scrapie; Lard, one ounce: Rub them well together.

This should be applied in the same manner, and succeeded by the healing ointment always, • The cap should be worn for a few days after the ulcer is healed, for the part will be tender, and the dog will be apt to beat the ear about again, and make it as bad as ever.