248 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



fluctuation of the i^art on being manipulated. There is 

 usually some enlargement also. There is not much heat, if 

 any, and the parts are not tense and shining externally, as 

 is the case in an abscess containing pus. 



Treatment. — If any irritation is present, fomentations and 

 poultices are to be employed freely, and after the irritation 

 is reduced the abscess should be freely opened and the 

 serum allowed to escape. They are very troublesome, as 

 they have a tendency to form again and again by virtue 

 of a secreting power acquired by the lining walls of the 

 abscess. The opening should be made at the most dependent 

 part of the abscess, and after having evacuated the cavity 

 it is good practice to keep it open by means of a tent 

 saturated with some mild stimulating liniment, or tr. iodi 

 may be used on the tent, or injected into the cavity, 

 the object being to destroy the secretory powers of the in- 

 ternal wall of the cavity, and induce suppuration, when 

 usually the wound quickly heals. Pressure, where it can 

 be applied so as to bring the internal walls of the abscess 

 into contact, is often found to be of considerable benefit in 

 conjunction with the other treatment. Setons are much 

 used, and are useful inasmuch as they keep up considerable 

 irritation, induce the suppurative process, and at the same 

 time allow of free drainage. In some cases, however, the 

 practitioner wull be compelled to slit the skin and cut the 

 whole of the abscess out, after which it is to be treated as 

 an ordinarj^ wound by fomentations, poultices, etc. It will 

 soon heal up by granulation. This is in all probability the 

 best of all ways to treat serous abscesses where they have a 

 tendency to return. If the animal is at all debilitated, con- 

 stitutional remedies may be administered, as the case indi- 

 cates. Sometimes it is very difficult, or even impossible to tell 

 whether it is an abscess or a fibrous tumour without ex- 

 ploring, which may be done with an exploring needle. The 



