70 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



is injured ; if it is not, dress it with carbolised oil, put 

 on a pellet of tow or cotton wool, and bandage up. If 

 the wound is not very deep, it should not be undone 

 for three days ; then the bandage may be taken 

 off, and the wound kept clean, and if dressed with 

 carbolised oil every day, it will soon be well. 

 Horses with broken knees should not have walking- 

 exercise until the wounds are nearly well, for fear of 

 opening the wound. If the wound is deep, as is often 

 the case, and a clear fluid running- from it resembling 

 glycerine, you can safely conclude that the joint is 

 injured, and that the synovia or joint oil is running. 

 This is very difficult to stop, and in many cases leaves 

 the animal with a stiff joint. The plan I have always 

 adopted when joint oil is running is to fill the wound 

 with lumps of socotorine aloes, put a pellet of tow 

 over the wound dipped in carbolised oil, and bind up. 

 I often fold two Field newspapers together and bind 

 them on the horse's leg, they making admirable 

 splints, having substance enough to prevent the horse 

 bending its leg, and easily adapting itself to the shape 

 of the leg without cutting or otherwise injuring the 

 skin. (In cases of accident, if a man breaks his arm or 

 leg, if those near will bind the limb up with a bandage, 

 and use a newspaper or two for splints before attempting 

 to move, many simple fractures will be prevented from 

 becoming compound.) Sometimes the above treatment 

 will not stop the flow of synovia. After being repeated 

 daily for four or five days, it will then be necessary to 

 use strong means — the most effectual is pure carbolic 

 acid. This should be injected into the wound with a 



