TREATMENT OF SHOULDER ABSCESS. 487 



4 ; fresh butter, 30. After clipping the hair and applying the oint- 

 ment, Block holds a red-hot iron a short distance from the skin so 

 as to heat it. The animal is then fastened up for three days. The 

 best treatment is immediately to open the abscess and evacuate 

 the contents. The abscess sometimes lies as much as 4 inches below 

 the surface, but this should not prevent operation. By thrusting 

 the knife towards the centre of the swelling dangerous bleeding is 

 avoided and the abscess opened with certainty. As in other such 

 operations, the hair is removed, the skin cleansed, the position of 

 the swelling determined by palpation, and the horse twitched. 



A pointed bistoury, with its cutting edge directed upwards, is 

 inserted from 2 to 3 inches. The pus usually then discharges ; but 

 if not, a stout probe is introduced, the fluctuation localised, and 

 the wall of the abscess punctured with either knife or probe. After 

 discharge of the pus, the swelling should be laid open in its entire 

 length, if possible, by a vertical incision, thus completely exposing 

 the cavity of the abscess, which is then freely curetted and disin- 

 fected. Bleeding may be checked by means of tampons, or the 

 cautery. 



To promote dispersal of the swelling, moist warm applications, 

 frequently renewed, are employed for eight to fourteen days ; they 

 are kept in position with a cloth doubled two or three times, and 

 fastened to the neck by a bandage. Jacobs punctured the abscess 

 with a trocar, and injected 2 per cent, lysol solution, followed by 

 LugoPs solution of iodine. In one case the abscess could not be 

 found. Lugol's solution was injected three times in eight days, 

 and healing occurred. Schmidt recommended the injection into 

 the swelling of a saturated solution of common salt. Active suppura- 

 tion and perforation are said to follow ; but a case treated in this 

 way by Schilling soon afterwards died from gangrene. Injection 

 of common salt certainly promotes suppuration, especially if not 

 sterilised, but as it possesses the disadvantage of exposing the animal 

 to grave infection the use of the knife is always preferable. 



Where these abscesses have existed for several weeks, and contain 

 no large cavity, extirpation becomes necessary. This may be either 



(1) partial, which is only adopted where no sharp margin divides 

 the swelling from the sound textures, and is seldom effectual ; or 



(2) total, which is specially indicated when the duration of the case 

 has been considerable, and there is hence no prospect of disappearance 

 of the swelling after opening. In most cases free opening of the 

 abscess cavity is sufficient, as above mentioned. In old growths 

 as much as possible of the anterior part should be removed. Some 



