MANUAL FOR STABLE SERGEANTS. 99 



are present. If so, they must be removed, and, if the wound runs 

 in a downward direction, an opening should be made a little lower 

 down to allow for drainage. The wound is then swabbed out with a 

 strip of gauze that has been saturated with tincture of iodine, or it 

 may be syringed out very carefully with an antiseptic solution, care 

 being taken not to force the stream in a downward direction. After 

 cleaning the interior, a dusting powder should be applied to the sur- 

 face. 



364. Punctured wounds or joints and tendon sheaths. — 

 Punctures of the synovial membrane of joints or tendons, which allow 

 the synovia to escape, are always serious and often result in perma- 

 nent disability or death of the animal. The conditions are commonly 

 known as open joint and open bursa, respectively, 



Treatment. — Do not probe unless a foreign body is known to be 

 present, as the introduction of the probe, even though clean, may 

 injure the delicate structures of the joint or tendon sheath. 



Remove the hair; cleanse the parts, but do not use the syringe; 

 paint the opening of the wound with tincture of iodine, apply a 

 hiniodide of mercury blister, and cover with gauze and a bandage. 

 Place the animal in slings or a cross-tie; clean the wound daily, if 

 required; paint with tincture of iodine, and rebandage. ^ If the wound 

 be a large one, omit the blister and treat with antiseptics. 



Feed laxative foods and keep fresh, cool water before the animal at 

 all times. 



BRUISED WOUNDS (CONTUSIONS) AND ABRASIONS. 



365. Under this heading are considered sore backs and sore shoul- 

 ders, etc.; otherwise known as chafes and galls of the back or shoul- 

 ders or any part that comes in contact with the saddle, harness, or 

 equipment. 



366. Sore backs. — This term includes all injuries produced by 

 the pressing or rubbing of any part of the saddle or saddle equipment 

 against the skin and its underlying tissues, the nature and severity 

 of such injuries depending upon the amount of pressure and the length 

 of its duration. 



Sway-backed horses, roach-backed horses, horses with bulging 

 barrels or barrels tapering upward and backward, or horses with 

 abnormally high or abnormally low withers, are more liable to such 

 injuries than others. 



Causes. — 1. Faulty placing of the saddle, i,. e., too far forward or 

 too far back. 2. Improper folding of the blanket; blanket wrinkled, 



