VETERINARY SURGEON COMES, 473 



by the fingers, washing with cold or tepid water, and treat as an 

 incised wound, by either bandage, pin?, or stitches. Tears of the 

 abdominal muscles should be treated by stitches, if possible ; and 

 if the bowels protrude, the veterinary surgeon should be sent for 

 without delay. Until he arrives the intestines should be cleaned 

 in warm water, if soiled, placed on a cloth, gently returned, and 

 retained by a wide bandage fastened round the body. Sometimes 

 the muscles of the belly are lacerated without the skin being torn, 

 and the intestines make a large swelling beneath the skin. In this 

 case also the wide bandage is most useful. Should there be bleed- 

 ing, apply cold water or plug the wound. If the chest is opened, 

 the body bandage is also to be resorted to, to prevent admission of 

 air. In parts where the skin is fine and thin, as the eyelids and 

 nostrils, the edges of the wound should be brought into apposition 

 as soon as possible, so as to obtain adhesion quickly. Fine pins or 

 stitches, or glue or pitch plasters, will effect this. 



Contused wounds are the most frequent of any among the larger 

 animals, and they are serious from the fact that the parts wounded 

 are also much bruised and torn, so that their vitality is more or 

 less impaired, and sloughing is apt to ensue, abscesses to form, &c. 

 They are produced by falls, kicks, blows, collisions, bites, &c. Very 

 serious contused wounds are those which occur to joints, as the 

 knees and hocks, and especially when the joints are opened. 



For contused wounds generally warm water fomentations are 

 best : at any rate, until all grit and foreign matter is removed. 

 Poultices are good supplementary agents, particularly for joints. 

 When the contusions to limbs or joints are severe, the animal should 

 be moved as little as possible. Some contusions and wounds are 

 so serious when inflicted, that there is extreme depression and 

 symptoms of collapse, manifested by cold sweats, trembling, un- 

 steady gait, and coldness of limbs and surface of body. A quart 

 of oatmeal gruel with two or three ounces of brandy, to a horse or 

 ox, and a tablespoonful or so of brandy-and-water to a dog, will be 

 beneficial under these circumstances. Rubbing the body and keep- 

 ing it warm will assist in restoring strength. 



Punctured loounds are produced by sharp-pointed objects, and 

 most important parts and organs may be penetrated without scarcely 

 any external indication of the mischief done. If there is bleeding, 

 plug the wound or apply pressure outside until the veterinary sur- 

 geon crmes. Very otten the sole of the horse's foot is wounded by 

 sharp flints, nails, &c. The gravity of the wound will depend upon 

 its depth and situation. A nail penetrating the sole deeply towards 

 the point of the frog is a serious accident. Remove the nail care- 

 fully by pulling it straight and steadily out, have the shoe taken 

 oflf, all the horn removed from around the wound, keep the foot in 



