352 CHAPTER 46. 



ment, however, if in the hands of a competent Veterinary Surgeon, is the 

 knife. 



Whatever the treatment may be, if sinuses have formed in different 

 directions (which may be ascertained by the probe), each sinus must be 

 laid open, as far as practicable, from its bottom by the knife, and treated 

 as recommended above. But if the sinuses have been in existence a long 

 time and have become lined with a very low organised membrane, other- 

 wise termed the " core," it may become necessary to cause sloughing of 

 this membrane by the application of a stronger remedy, such as the 

 powder of chloride of zinc, whilst the more external parts may be treated 

 with lunar caustic. A radical cure will not be effected in a sinus so lined, 

 until the core is got rid of. 



Great care must be taken to keep the wound open, until it has tho- 

 roughly healed from the bottom ; and for this purpose it will be necessary 

 to insert into it a pledget of tow covered with digestive ointment. As 

 the ligamentous tissues, among which the sinuses form, are of very low 

 reparative power, the process of cure is generally very tedious. 



When the wound is well, great care must be taken to guard against 

 recurrence of the causes which produced it. 



In cases, which have been long neglected, caries of the bone occasion- 

 ally supervenes. From its position and from other causes, this further 

 development is so difficult to treat, and the process of cure is so tedious 

 and uncertain, that the better plan, in the author's opinion, is to accept 

 the loss and to destroy the animal. 



713. FISTULOUS WITHERS. 



Nature, causes, and treatment. 



Fistulous Withers are similar in their nature, and require much the 

 same treatment as Poll Evil. They are nearly always caused by pressure 

 from the saddle, or collar, or by injuries. 



In most cases the mischief is at first Yery slight, and a day or two's 

 abstinence from work with a little alteration of the saddle or collar will 

 generally effect a cure and prevent recurrence. If the skin is tender, a 

 salt and water dressing may be applied. 



When, however, the cause is continued or repeated, the tissues under 

 the skin become inflamed, and the spines of the vertebrae may be impli- 

 cated. If such should be the case, fomentations must be applied in the 

 first instance to reduce the inflammation. If these fail, as they often do, 

 in bringing about resolution, matter will probably form under the skin. 



Unless a free opening is made for its escape, it will burrow in, under, 

 and among the muscles, tendons, and ligamentous tissues which lie on 

 each side of the spine or withers, and will form sinuses. The treatment 

 in such cases is exactly the same as that of poll evil. The sinuses must 

 be freely opened into a common wound, leaving a depending orifice, if 

 possible. The seton, as recommended above, also answers very well. 

 Carbolic dressings may be applied and the parts must be kept scrupu- 

 lously clean. 



