TREATMENT 89 



age apertures maintained as long as there is 

 any issue from them. When the discharge 

 continues to be profuse, attempt should be 

 made to locate the cause. The main cavity has 

 not been drained. If located in an inaccessible 

 place, as for example upon the cervical verte- 

 brae (cervical fistula) or along the thoracic 

 vertebra under the longissimus dorsi, spinalis 

 or complexus, it may not be possible to give 

 helpful assistance. These secondary abscesses 

 are the result of improper treatment or neglect. 

 They seldom if ever complicate a well directed 

 operation followed by faithful after-care. 



In the case of atypical fistula arising from 

 wounds of the back or crest, the operation is 

 much the same except that the incision is made 

 more posteriorly (Fig. 10). 



It is, however, never advisable to make such 

 a median line incision on a thin horse having a 

 prominent, sharp withers, as the w^ound lips 

 will sag down below the level of the vertebra? 

 and produce a condition that will heal very 

 slowly and imperfectly. In draft horses with 

 thick, low withers there is less danger from this 

 standpoint. The fleshy surrounding affords 

 ample protection against protrusion of the 

 crest above the level of the wound edges. 



