FRACTURE OF THE FIRST RIB IN THE HORSE. 357 



front of the wound within the substance of the supra-spinous hgament. 

 It was finally arrested and the wound rendered healthy by warm anti- 

 septic spraying, which has the advantage over lotions and irrigations 

 of penetrating the dead tissue and destroying the infectious agents in 

 the depths. 



ABSCESS IN THE LEFT COSTAL REGION— NECROSIS OF 

 THE LAST RIB. 



60. Eleven-year-old gelding, left in hospital 6th June, 1896. 



A year before this horse had shown on the left surface of the chest 

 over the last ribs a large swelling, which finally suppurated. The 

 wound resulting from opening the abscess became sinuous. The 

 animal having been cast on the 5th May for castration, the veterinary 

 surgeon who operated took advantage of the occasion to explore the 

 tract. The parts were afterwards irrigated with carbolic solution, but 

 refused to heal. 



State on Examination.- — On the left side of the chest, over the centre 

 of the last rib, was a sharply-defined swelling, the centre of which was 

 pierced by a sinuous tract running obliquely inwards and forwards. A 

 probe penetrated for a distance of four inches. 



The horse having been cast, the sinus was laid open in the axis 

 of the last rib, a portion of which was then seen to be necrotic. It 

 was resected. On passing the finger into the wound the two ends 

 could be felt about one inch apart. After antiseptic irrigation of the 

 wound a rubber drainage-tube was introduced and fixed to the skin 

 by sutures. 



During the following days the wound was cleansed and injected 

 with a solution of iodine varying in strength between 20 and 30 per 

 cent. Suppuration was trifling. 



On the 15th the rubber tube was removed ; the iodine injections, 

 however, were continued. The wound was daily plugged with gauze. 

 The surrounding tissues showed little swelling. 



On the 25th the deep portions of the operative wound had to a large 

 extent filled up. The plugging was discontinued. From this date 

 treatment simply consisted in washing out the wound. 



A week later the animal was returned to work. By the end of July 

 the wound had healed, and the trifling swelling which remained was 

 quite painless. 



FRACTURE OF THE FIRST RIB IN THE HORSE. 



61. Eight-year-old well-bred chestnut mare. 



History. — Had been worked for three hours in a victoria ; returned 

 home with great difliculty and exceedingly lame in the off fore-leg. 



State on Examination. — The near fore-heel showed signs of a recent 

 overreach. The animal was in great pain, and supported the weight of 

 the body mainly on the hind legs ; the off fore-leg was flexed, the knee 

 and fetlock bent, and the outside of the toe just touched the ground. 

 The elbow was lower than normal, but was not unusually '* dropped." 



