COUNTERFORT, in fortification, is a mass of stone or brickwork added to the revet ment of a rampart, in such a way as to form a buttress for resisting the pressure of the mass of earth. Counterforts occur at intervals of about 20 ft., and assist in preventing the earth from pushing down the revetment-wall into the ditch.
is an outwork designed to defend the two faces of a bastion or ravelin from a direct fire, so as to retard a breach being made. The counter-guard con sists of two lines of rampart parallel to the faces of the bastion or ravelin, and separated from them by a narrow ditch. The crest of the counter-guard must be some three feet lower than that of the works it covers, in order not to obstruct the defense. Lest the enemy should establish a battery on the counter-guard, the terre-plein, or flat space behind its parapet, is made very narrow.
• agents applied to the skin so as to redden (rubefacients), to vesieatc (blisters or vesicatories), or to.produce pustules, purulent issues, or even sloughs of skin and of the subcutaneous textures. The milder counter-irritants are mustard (see CATIPLASM), turpentine applied on warm cloths, and spirit or acetic acid in lotion.
The stronger are blisters of cantharides (q.v.) or of ammonia; croton-oil (q.v.) or tartar emetic (q.v.), in ointment; setons, caustic or pea-issues, and the moxa; and above all, the actual cautery (q.v.) or hot iron. None of the stronger counter-irritants should be used without careful consideration and medical advice; great mischief is often done by their careless or improper use. Counter-irritants relieve internal pain, and tend to pro mote the absorption of morbid effusions.
Amongst horses, counter-irritants are much used for 'strains and diseases of the joints, but should never be applied, as they too often are, in recent cases, or whilst the part is hot or inflamed. Cantharidine preparations, or ointment of biniodide of mercury, are the most convenient. For cows, use hot fomentations, followed by the smart infliction of mustard-paste; for dogs, soap-liniment, strengthened, if required, by ammonia or turpentine.