The Vet. Book 



putrefaction, it ought to be cleansed with a strong 

 solution of Chloride of Zinc — 20 grains to every 

 ounce of water. If there is a cavity, rinse it out 

 daily with antiseptic solution. 



In every case free drainage is necessary, other- 

 wise the discharge soaks into the muscles, causing 

 softening and destruction of these. 



Wounds heal by granulation, and what is termed 

 " proud flesh" merely consists of exuberant 

 granulation, and ought not to be restrained, nor 

 burnt off, unless excessive. Such can be kept 

 back by a pressure bandage. 



Some wounds require sewing up, and the 

 materials used for such purposes are, catgut, silk, 

 silver wire, boiled string, etc., whilst blanket pins 

 are frequently used for the same purpose, — the 

 pin being passed through the lip of the wound, 

 and then horse-hair or silk twisted around the 

 ends in figure of 8 fashion. 



Deep muscular wounds, in the horse require 

 special forms of suture, but in all external wounds, 

 the sutures are what are termed interrupted, that is, 

 each stitch is taken separately. The stitches must 

 not be adjusted too tightly, otherwise subsequent 

 swelling may tear them out. The margin of the 

 wound should be washed daily, but not the 

 wound itself. In the larger animals the loss of a 

 few quarts of blood is not of much importance, 

 but bleeding can generally be controlled by cold 

 water \ by pressure ; by tying the bleeding vessels, 



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