OF FARRIERY. 



93 



be cut ; the nature of the wounded part, in 

 respect to its general power of healing, fa- 

 vourably or not; whether the operations of 

 the system at large, and life itself, can be well 

 supported or not, while the functions of the 

 wounded part are disturbed, interrupted, or 

 suspended by the accident ; the age of the 

 patient, the goodness, or badness of his con- 

 stitution, and the opportunities which there 

 may be of receiving proper aid and assistance 

 of every kind. 



INCISED WOUNDS 



As a general observation, we may state, 

 that a wound that is made with a sharp, cut- 

 ting instrument, which is in short a mere 

 incision, is attended with less hazard of dan- 

 gerous consequences, than any other kind of 

 wound whatever. The fibres have only been 

 simply divided ; they have suffered no contu- 

 sion, nor laceration ; they are consequently 

 less likely to inflame much, so as to suppurate 

 and slough; and they commonly admit of being 

 united again in a very expeditious manner. 



LACERATED WOUNDS. 



Lacerated wounds are those in which the 

 fibres, instead of being divided by a cutting 

 instrument, have been torn asunder by some 

 violence, capable of overcoming their force of 

 adhesion. The edges of such wounds, instead 

 of being straight and regular, are jagged and 

 unequal. 



CONTUSED WOUNDS. 



Contused wounds is a term applied to those 

 wounds, which are occasioned by some blunt 

 instrument, or surface, which has violently 

 struck a part of the body. 



Lacerated and contused tcounds differ from 



simple incised wounds, in appearino- at first 

 view much less alarming than the latter, while 

 in reality they are much more dangerous. In 

 simple cut wounds, the retraction of the parts 

 and the bleeding, are generally much more 

 considerable, than in a lacerated wound of the 

 same size. However, notwithstanding these 

 circumstances, they commonly admit of being 

 healed with by far the greatest ease. It is 

 even proper to remark, that lacerated and 

 contused wounds are scarcely ever attended 

 with any serious effusion of blood, even though 

 some large blood-vessels may be injured, 

 riiis is apt to lead persons, even practitioners 

 astray ; for, in proportion as there is little 

 bleeding, you may safely conclude that serious 

 violence has been done to the fibres and blood- 

 vessels. 



PUNCTURED WOUNDS. 



A punctured icound signifies one that is 

 made with a narrow pointed instrument, the 

 external orifice of the injury being small and 

 contracted, instead of being a size proportion- 

 ate to its depth. A wound produced by the 

 thrust of a sword or bayonet, affords us an 

 example of a punctured wound. 



Wounds of this description are in general 

 infinitely more dangerous than incised ones, 

 notwithstanding the latter have the appear- 

 ance of being by far the most extensive. The 

 greatest degree of danger, in cases of punc- 

 tured wounds, always depends on the ad- 

 ditional injury, and rough violence, which the 

 fibres have suffered, besides being divided. 



Some of the disagreeable consequences apt 

 to follow, are also imputed to the frequent 

 great depth, to which punctured wounds are 

 liable to extend ; in consequence of which cir- 

 cumstance, important parts and organs are 

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