SPECIAL TREATMENT OF WOUNDS 413 



favourable to the healing of incised wounds. In some instances long 

 shreds of fibrous tissue, being parts of tendons or fascia, hang from the 

 torn surface of lacerated wounds, and if left to slough, as they frequently 

 are, materially interfere with and delay healing. The desirability or 

 otherwise of removing them at once, will be a question for consideration 

 before proceeding to repair the damage. 



When the injury is inflicted l)y stakes from hedges, or pieces of wood 

 from fences, or other sources, some parts of these are frequently broken 

 off and left in the wound. It is important, therefore, that careful search 

 be made at the outset for any foreign l)ody which may remain embedded 

 in the fiesh, with a view to its removal. Thorough cleansing and dis- 

 infection must follow preparatory to dressing, somewhat on the lines 

 laid down in connection with incised wounds. But since the torn tissues 

 are more likely to enclose and retain organisms, gentle brushing with a 

 soft nail-brush should be resorted to. When all dirt has been removed, 

 the surface of the wound should be sponged over with liquefied carbolic 

 acid in an undiluted state. In those cases where, in consequence of the 

 depth of the wound, certain parts of its surface are not accessible, a 

 solution of carbolic acid (I in 20) may be injected into the recesses 

 which cannot be otherwise dealt with. As in these cases healing by 

 granulation is the most we can hope for, everything should be done to 

 protect the wound from organisms and neutralize the products of such 

 as may gain access to it. To this end the wound should be sprinkled 

 with iodoform, and then stuffed with double cyanide gauze, and the whole 

 covered in with a thick layer of antiseptic wool. 



This dressing must be applied every day, and the surrounding skin 

 thoroughly cleansed and freely dressed with carbolic lotion (1 in 20). 



The treatment for Contused WoundS is the same as that for 

 Lacerated Wounds. 



Punctured Wounds. — Punctured wounds result when sharp-pointed 

 instruments, such as forks, nails, pieces of wire, splinters of wood, &c., 

 enter the flesh. 



The danger attaching to them will be in proportion as they are deep, 

 and as they enter one or another of the various cavities of the body, 

 or lay open vessels or divide nerves, or as the instruments by which tliey 

 are inflicted are clean or dirty. 



The horse is specially liable to this variety of wound in connection 

 with the feet, either as the result of nails being driven into the quick 

 in the act of shoeing or being trodden upon during progression. 



In whatever way they are produced there is always more or less 

 danger connected with them, on account of the introduction into them 



