8 April, 1908.] Diseases of Farm Animals. 197 



Treatment. — When an injury is sustained to the withers, or neck, or 

 back, be it ever so slight, means sliould at once be adopted to allay the 

 swelling and inflammation. To this end of course the horse should be 

 rested, and the saddle or collar should i.ot be used again until the bruised 

 part is quite hard and well. Vinegar and water, or one of the cooling 

 lotions recommended elsewhere (see page 159) should be applied fre- 

 quently. If the bruise is so severe that the formation of matter is sus- 

 pected, a smart blister should be applied in order to bring it quickly to a 

 head, and the resulting abscess should be lanced before it has pointed. 

 If in a few days after blistering the swelling is found to contain matter 

 it should be lanced at once. In most other cases it is advisable to allow 

 an abscess to " point ' before lancing, but in the case of a new fistula, as 

 before pointed out, if the matter is not speedily evacuated artificially it 

 burrows down between the muscles and sets up further inflammation. If 

 care is taken, bv making the incision sufticiently Jow down, that the matter 

 has sufficient vent, that is, that it can be freely discharged without lodging 

 anywhere, recovery will probably soon he effected, and will require no 

 more assistance than the daily application of a dressing of antiseptic lotion 

 or powder. 



In bad cases of fistulous withers, there is no remedv but the knife, 

 and a bold surgeon is essential to recovery. There must be no half 

 measures. Half-measures result simply in delay and disappointment. 

 As a general rule in old standing cases of fistula, the bolder the operation 

 the better and quicker the recoA'ery ; of course provided always that the 

 operator has some idea of what he is doing, and of the structures he is 

 operating on. I have known the case of an amateur operator who, in his 

 anxietv to deal radical Iv with a somewhat grave case, and to produce a good 

 impression regarding his skill on the bvstanders, actually cut through the 

 elastic cord running from the head to the withers (the ligameittum 

 iiuclicE, which supports the head), therebv allowing the head to drop, and 

 rendering the animal useless for ever. However, given a case of from 

 three to six, or even twelve months' standing, very much calloused and 

 swollen and discharging matter from two or three openings, it is neces- 

 sarv to make a " bold incision " with a sharp knife down to where the 

 matter (pus) is lodged, and to cut awav all the hard, calloused flesh in- 

 cluded in the swelling. It is necessarv to thoroughly " bottom ' the fis- 

 tula wdth the knife and to get rid of all the matter, tubes and unhealthy 

 tissues, and to create a common wound with a good opening so as to allow 

 of the free exit of all discharges. It is simply a waste of time to put in 

 setons or to prick the matter-containing cavities here and there, and so, 

 for the time being, get rid of the alreadv formed matter. The small 

 Avounds so made soon heal up, matter re-collects, and the case is as bad, or 

 worse, than e\-er. 



After operating in the \vav indicated, it is necessary to maintain the 

 wound so created in a healthv condition until it commences to heal satis- 

 factorilv, that is, until the discharge from it gets thick and creamy, and 

 the surface and lips present a healthy pink appearance. A solution of 

 corrosive sublimate (one quarter ounce to a quart or two quarts of water) 

 is one of the best dressings for this purpose. The wound should be 

 svringed with it dailv for about a week, after which some disinfectant 

 powder, or dry-wound dressing should be used. One of the best wound 

 powders is made bv the addition of half-an-ounce of either boracic acid or 

 iodoform to four ounces of zinc oxide or zinc carbonate (calamine). Dry 

 lime may be dusted intO' the wound in the first instance if the sublimate 

 is not procurable. Strong carbolic acid solution is also good. In a few 

 days, or a week, sav, after the first operation, it will probably be necessary 



