9 March, 1908.] Diseases of Farm Anitnals. 157 



In addition to the local treatment it may be necessary to give internallv 

 mild laxatives (Epsom salts from four to eight ounces) every other day 

 until all tendency to fever and inflammation has passed away, and during 

 this time the diet should consist of sloppy bran mashes or green stuft'. 



For the arrest of bleeding from wounds, the stitching or suturing of 

 wounds and antiseptic surgical methods see pages 55, 60, and 71 (Vol. V.). 



SPECIAL WOUNDS. 



While the above remarks concerning wounds may suffice as general 

 information on wounds, it becomes necessary to describe in detail certain 

 commonly met with wounds of special character. This because successful 

 treatment of them depends so largely on a proper knowledge of their 

 nature. Their treatment also, as will be seen, necessitates considerable 

 variation from that outlined above. The most important of these special 

 wounds are as follow : — 



Oper] Joir]t. 



An open joint is a wound in the neighbourhood of a joint which has 

 penetrated through the capsular ligament into the cavity of the joint. It 

 is always accompanied by the flow of the lubricating fluid of the joint — 

 synovia or joint oil, and by reason of the difficulty in closing the opening 

 while the flow continues it is one of the most serious injuries which can 

 be sustained by any animal. It frequently results in complete anchylosis 

 or stiffening of the joint, so rendering the animal permanently useless ; 

 and the constitutional disturbance resulting from the local pain and in- 

 flammation is often so acute as to cause the death of the animal. The 

 knee, the hock and the fetlock are the joints most frequently concerned 

 and on account of the great amount of movement occurring_ in them the 

 condition is always a serious one. When occurring in joints with less 

 movement or which can be kept in a state of comparative rest recovery is 

 more likely. 



Open joint may be caused either directly by puncture of the capsular 

 ligament at the time the wound is inflicted or indirectly from a previously 

 existing wound by softening of the tissues and ulceration through the 

 capsule. Sometimes it is caused by unskilful probing of a wound near 

 a joint. 



Symptoms. — At first the discharge is natural joint-oil — a clear trans- 

 parent straw-coloured fluid having the consistence of white-of-egg and 

 exhibiting a gummy stickiness when rubbed between finger and thumb. 

 Later on it becomes thicker, yellow in colour and quickly coagulates on 

 exposure to the air. In the meantime the joint becomes very painful, 

 hot and swollen, general febrile symptoms are manifested, there is great 

 distress and much falling off^ in condition. 



Treatment. — The principles of treatment are: — "First, the synovial 

 cavity must be thoroughly drained; .secondly, the joint must be kept 

 perfectly at rest, and firmly fixed; and thirdly, the discharges must be 

 prevented from decomposing bv some efficient system of antiseptic treat- 

 ment." (Erichsen.) 



The details of treatment may be best conveyed by describing the 

 treatment of an imaginary case — First, give the horse a dose of purgative 

 medicine — either an aloetic physic ball or a drench of Epsom salts (10 

 to 12 ounces) in solution. This is best done at this stage as later on the 

 giving of medicine will disturb the animal too much and he may not be 

 induced to take salts in the food when feverish. If the wound is dirtv 



