Journal of Agriculture. [9 March, 1908. 



it must be washed and sluiced or syringed with recently boiled water 

 containing an antiseptic (corrosive sublimate, a dram to half a gallon of 

 water; or carbolic acid, half ounce to pint of water). Pure iodoform or 

 a half-and-half mixture of tannin and iodoform (tannoform) should then 

 be thickly applied or plugged in (if a punctured wound the dressing may 

 be introduced by means of a gelatine capsule). This dry dressing should 

 be firmly covered with a pledget of antiseptic cotton wool to keep it in 

 position. A moderately tight bandage may then be applied and means 

 taken to limit the movement of the joint (fracture splints may be used). 

 The dressing need not be repeated for a couple of days unless the dis- 

 charge is so profuse as to soak through the bandage. It should be very 

 carefully removed, disturbing the edges of the wound as little as 

 possible. Repeat the dry dressing and rebandage. Iodoform serves a 

 treble purpose in such cases; it forms a dry dressmg, it is an admirable 

 antiseptic and, as elsewhere stated, it hastens the filling up of the wound 

 and the consequent stoppage of synovial flow by promoting formation 

 of granulation tissue. Boracic acid or dry lime may be used if iodoform 

 is not available. 



Sometimes it serves well to apply a blister all round the wound in 

 the first instance, the object in view being two-fold ; the swelling conse- 

 quent on blistering helps to fill up the wound and arrest the flow of 

 joint oil and it also assists in retarding movement in the joint. 



Open Bursae aqd Tendon Sheaths. 



Wounds into the sheath of tendons and into bur.sae over which tendons 

 play also allow of the discharge of the lubricating synovia, but they are 

 by no means so serious as open joints and usually heal rapidly under the 

 treatment advised for that condition. 



Brol^en Knees. 



By this term is meant a wound existing on the front aspect of the 

 knees of horses generally caused by falling. Horses with low tripping 

 action and those which stand with the fore legs far back underneath 

 the body or w^hich are calf-kneed are the most liable to sustain this injury. 

 The gravity of the condition varies considerably. It may be : — 



{a) A mere abrasion of the skin with the under skin (dermis) and 

 roots of hair uninjured. In such cases a thin layer of the surface skin 

 (epidermis) usually sloughs off and leaves a temporary mark, which how- 

 ever vanishes before long. 



{h) A cut through the skin. In such cases there may be a downward 

 dissection of the skin forming a flap in which discharges or foreign 

 matter may pocket. As special treatment an incision will require to be 

 rnade in the centre of the flap at its lowest point to allow of drainage of 

 discharges. 



{c) Laceration of skin and opening of sheath or bursae of tendon. A 

 very awkward condition necessitating the maintenance of the knee in a 

 state of complete rest for recovery to occur. 



{d) Laceration of skin, tendon and capsular ligament of knee joint 

 exposing the knee bones and forming an open joint. A grave and often 

 incurable condition. 



The Treatment will vary with the .severitv of the wound. In the 

 less severe cases the injured part should be bathed with tepid water until 

 all the grit and dirt has been gently but thorough! v removed, and if the 



