470 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



tors in bringing about this condition, and the discontinuance of either 

 or both will often leave no necessity for special treatment. 



Contused or Lacerated Wounds. These are usually caused by a 

 blow with some blunt instrument, by the breaking of the flooring, or 

 when an animal gets one of its limbs through or over the partition 

 between the stalls. The seriousness depends largely on the depth of 

 the injury, and treatment should be directed to allaying the inflam- 

 mation and preventing the consequent tendency to sloughing. To 

 this end soothing applications, such as fomentations and poultices, 

 are plainly indicated. 



Methods of Healing. Technically these may be divided into a 

 number of distinct processes, but practically we may speak of them 

 as two only, namely, by primary union, or adhesion, and by granu- 

 lation. As suppuration is not so liable to occur in cattle as in the 

 horse, healing by the former and more speedy process is much more 

 common in the first-named species, more particularly in clean-cut or 

 incised wounds, provided they have been stitched within twelve hours 

 from the time the injury which caused them was inflicted ; that they 

 have been kept clean and that the patient has by some means been 

 kept fairly still. This latter stipulation is probably hardest to comply 

 with. Quiet is an important factor in the process of repair among 

 the lower animals as well as their masters, and the rule is none the 

 less good because, unfortunately, it is more frequently honored in the 

 breach than in the observance. Healing by this method is in some 

 cases extraordinarily quick, union between the divided parts having 

 been known to take place as soon as twenty-four hours after their 

 adjustment by the surgeon. 



The second method of healing, namely, by granulation, which 

 is, however, the manner in which most wounds in animals heal, takes 

 much longer time. In puncturing wounds of any depth healing nec- 

 essarily takes place in this way only, and the treatment should be 

 directed largely to alleviating pain and moderating inflammation. 

 The former can be accomplished by opium applied locally in the 

 form of the diluted tincture, or given internally in repeated small 

 doses ; and the latter by aconite or fluid extract of gelsemium, 25 to 

 30 drops of either of which are given in the drinking water or 

 dropped on the tongue at intervals, depending on the severity of the 

 fever. 



After-Treatment and Dressing of Wounds. The dressing of 

 wounds, whether they have been attended to by a veterinarian or 

 not, is a matter which, in case of cattle, invariably devolves upon the 

 owner or his employees. It must not, however, be inferred from this 

 that the matter is of secondary importance. The dressing of wounds 

 is one of the most important branches of veterinary surgery, and one 

 of the most constant difficulties that the practicing veterinarian has 

 to contend with lies in the want of appreciation on the part of owners 

 of the great importance of care and attention in the after treatment of 

 wounds. It is for this reason that the writers are averse to closing 

 this portion of their task without pointedly calling attention to the 

 fact that it is very largely to skillful, patient and careful dressing that 



