DISEASES 01* DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 107 



very serious affair, but if the spine or large nerves are not affected you 

 may expect recovery. If he is unable to raise the head, the lips and 

 nose swollen, and interfering with respiration, scarify the lips and sides 

 of the nose ; apply fomentations to relieve congestion, and endeavour 

 to support the head, which may be done by means of a bag put under 

 the head, which is better than to tie up with a halter, which interferes 

 with the passage of the blood and increases the swelling. Give a slight 

 laxative, and persuasive, and you may be successful. If it is very diffi- 

 cult to raise the h^ad, he lies or falls down, then elevate the head by a 

 bag of straw, and keep up the same treatment. Give purgatives and 

 diuretics, and, after bathing the parts, use a mild stimulating linament — 

 the camphorated — or you may make it anodyne by adding opium. If 

 the spine is injured, it is more difficult, and is likely to terminate fatally. 

 Endeavour to straighten the neck and stimulate the parts. When he 

 carries the head to one side, and falls down when you endeavour to 

 straighten it, the nerves are generally affected. 



Phlebitis. — Inflammation of a vein. It is sometimes found, after 

 blood-letting, and it is oftener seen in the jugular vein than in any other, 

 as it is the one from which blood is generally drawn ; but it may occur 

 from other causes. There is diffuse phlebitis. It may occur from con- 

 stitutional causes, but I will refer to that which comes from blood- 

 letting. 



Causes. — It may be due to the manner in which the operation was 

 performed, as in a case where there is difficulty in striking the vein, or 

 as bleeding in laminitis, even if performed correctly ; so the operator 

 cannot be blamed in all cases. It may result from the way the wound 

 was treated, or from the horse irritating the part ; so it is sometimes 

 best to tie him up for some time. It usually appears in from three to 

 six days after the operation. 



Pathology. — In the first place there is congestion, followed by in- 

 flammation of the little vessels (vase vasorum) that supply the coats of 

 the vein with the blood. Another cause is coagulation of the blood in 

 the vein above the part where the operation was performed, and it 

 extends towards the head, and not toward the heart. It may extend 

 until the circulation is arrested. Obliteration of the vein is frequent. 



Symptoms are plain. I think it is ushered in by rigours or shivering — 

 though this is often overlooked — then swelling takes place around the 

 wound : matter is formed, the swelling extends toward the head, the vein 

 is hard and corded ; the formation of an abcess is the result, which is, 

 no doubt, due to the irritation in the vein, aggravated by the manner in 

 which the animal uses the head and neck. There is generally no diffi- 

 culty in diagnosing, as it runs to some extent before you are called. 



Treatment may be varied according to the inflammatory action. If 

 noticed in the early stage, Ijieep the head well tied up, and keep up 

 fomentations for sofiie four or five hours at a time ; and it may be ad- 

 visable to give a moderate laxative, diuretics, etc. ; but I do not think 

 arterial sedatives are of much use. If the veins have been hard and 

 corded for some eight or ten days, I would recommend fomentations and 

 then blister right over the region of the vein and towards the head ; use 

 mercury or cantharides. In most cases it terminates in obliteration of 

 the vein. When the vein of the opposite side and the small veins en- 

 large to a certain extent, and perform the function of the one destroyed, 

 if abcesses are formed, open and allow the matter to escape, then bathe 

 and poultice ; use any stringent lotions and then blister, but do not rub 

 the blister into the abcesses or in the wound ; feed from a high surface. 

 It is perhaps a good practice to tie him up during the day, and allow 



