DISEASES OP DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 109 



Treatment iB just the same as in poll-evil. Use the knife freely. 

 Caustics and blisters will sometimes effect a cure, but they are generally 

 mild cases. But the knife is best, and you must sometimes cut out some 

 of the tissue. If you can give a dependent opening, it is not hard to 

 treat, and if it extends outside of the scapula, it is simple ; but if inside, 

 it is difficult. You may insert a seaton, and you should cleanse it thor- 

 oughly, and a good way in summer is with a hose, or place a large pail 

 above the horse and allow the water to trickle upon the part. Use cor- 

 rosive sublimate, fifteen or twenty grains to an ounce of water, or use 

 carbolic acid. 



Saddle Galls are best treated by removing the cause. Foment and 

 poultice. Use white lotion, corrosive sublimate, sulphate of copper, etc. 

 This may result in a sit-fast. This is produced by constant action of the 

 saddle, setting up inflammation, and destroying a part of the tissues 

 which stimulates the healthy tissue ; matter is formed, the dead part 

 becomes detached from the living, to some extent, but a small part retains 

 its vitality, and is attached to the healthy tissue in the centre, but turns 

 up at the edges. The best remedy is to use the knife. You might get rid 

 of it by caustics, but the best way is to cut it out, and then you may 

 apply caustics, poultices, lotions, etc. 



Muscles of the Groin Lacerated.— If the hemorrhage is great, first 

 control it, then cleanse the parts, and then bring the divided edges to- 

 gether, but leave a small opening at the lower edge, to allow the matter 

 to pass off. A punctured wound in this region is very likely to be fol- 

 lowed by severe inflammation. Sometimes a seemingly trivial injury, if 

 not attended to, produces very alarming symptoms, and perhaps death. 

 Such injuries may occur in different ways, as by stepping on the end of a 

 stick, which may fly up and produce it, or coming in violent contact with 

 any such obstacle, or the horn of an ox. You cannot be too careful in 

 your prognosis of such cases. If the wound is inward or downward, 

 endeavour to make it an incised wound. Make an incision in the sound 

 tissue, which looks cruel, but it is the best in many cases, unless there is 

 likely to be great hemorrhage. But if the wound extends upward, then 

 this is unnecessary. Have recourse to constitutional treatment. Give a 

 good dose of purgative medicine, if the animal is in good condition, and 

 give diuretics, or a good dose of hyposulphite of soda. Cold or hot appli- 

 cations, as the season requires, continued for some time, and if used in 

 time may prevent the symptoms of a phlegminous character. It is a 

 good practice to examine such wounds carefully. It may be done with 

 the finger, or you may have to use a probe. Endeavour to find what 

 caused the wound, and you will be able to judge whether fragments 

 remain in the flesh or not. 



Symptoms. — If phlegminous inflammation takes place, they are quite 

 plain. If you are called to see a horse wounded in this region, which has 

 been suffering for some two days, it is much swollen, the animal refuses 

 food, the limb is swollen, not only in the region of the wound, but both 

 outside and inside, there is increased respiration, the pulse perhaps eighty, 

 ninety or one hundred, and weak, the chances are ten to one that it will 

 terminate fatally, but still keep up treatment. Foment for hours at a 

 time, and endeavour to support by stimulants — beer, whiskey, etc., and 

 hyposulphate of soda is said to be good. Fomentations are applied with 

 a view of bringing on suppuration, for resolution is scarcely possible in 

 such a case ; and if it terminates in suppuration, it is generally diffuse, 

 and of an inchorous character. Sometimes, instead of forming pus, it 

 goes on to gangrene, the swelling continues, the limb below the parts is 

 cold, the pulse quick and weak, etc., and death is the result. However, 



