172 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



the method of application of the drug than on the drug itself. On 

 aseptic wounds use only those antiseptics that do not irritate the 

 tissue. If care is used in the application of the antiseptic, corrosive 

 sublimate or carbolic acid is to be recommended, but in the hands 

 of irresponsible parties creolin is safer. In order to keep air from 

 the wound and to absorb all wound secretions rapidly, a dressing 

 should be applied. If the wound is aseptic, the dressing should be 

 likewise, such as cotton gauze, sterile cotton, oakum, or tow. This 

 dressing should be applied with uniform pressure at all times and 

 secured by a bandage. Allow it to remain for a week or ten days if 

 the wound is aseptic or if the dressing does not become loose or mis- 

 placed or become drenched with secretions from the wound, or if 

 pain, fever, or loss of appetite does not develop. The dressing should 

 then 'be removed, the wound treated antiseptically, and a sterilized 

 dressing applied. 



HEALING UNDER A SCAB. 



This often occurs in small superficial wounds that have been 

 kept aseptic. In order for a scab to form, the wound must not gap, 

 eecrete freely, or become infected with germs. The formation of scab 

 is favored by astringents and styptics, such as tannic acid, iodoform, 

 and 5 per cent solution of zinc chloride. In case of large hollow 

 wounds that can not be dressed, such as fistulous withers, open joints, 

 etc., antisepsis may be obtained by warm water irrigation with or 

 without an antiseptic fluid. It should continue day and night, and 

 never be interrupted for more than eight hours, for germs will then 

 have gained headway and will be difficult to remove. Four or five 

 days of irrigation will be sufficient, for granulations will then have 

 formed and pus will remain on the outside if it forms. For perma- 

 nent irrigation the stream should be very small, or drop by drop, but 

 should play over the entire surface of the wound. It is always better 

 to heal an infected wound under a scab, or treat it as an open wound, 

 than it is to suture the wound, thus favoring the growth of the in- 

 closed germs and retarding ultimate healing. In the latter case pus 

 may develop in the wound, form pockets by sinking into the tissues, 

 and cause various complications. Such pockets should be well 

 drained, either through incisions at the bottom or by drainage tubes 

 or setons. They should then be frequently syringed out or contin- 

 uously irrigated. In case proud flesh appears it should be kept down 

 either by pressure or by caustics, as powdered bluestone, silver nitrate, 

 or by astringents, such as burnt alum. If they prove resistant to this 

 treatment they may be removed by scissors or the knife or by searing 

 with the hot iron. The following rules for the treatment of wounds 

 should be followed: (1) See that the wound is clean, removing all 

 foreign bodies. (2) For this purpose use a clean finger rather than 

 a probe. (3) Arrest all hemorrhage before closing the wound. (4) 

 Antiseptics should only be used if you suspect the wound to be in- 

 fected. (5) When pus is present treat without closing the wound. 

 (6) This may be accomplished by drainage tubes, absorbent dress- 

 ings, setons, or continuous irrigations. (7) Protect the wound 

 against infection while healing. 



