VETERINARY SURGEON COMES. 477 



necessary when lie reaches the stable, and these, with the necessary 

 attention, must be furnished by the veterinary surgeon. 



Sprains of tendons or ligaments in the limbs vary in intensity 

 and gravity, and cause more or less lameness. Pain on manipula- 

 tion, and increased temperature, with swelling, and a characteristic 

 mode of progression, mark the seat of injury for those accustomed 

 to horses. Until the veterinary surgeon arrives, hot fomentations 

 or cold water applications may be resorted to. If tendons or liga- 

 ments at the back part of a limb are injured — indeed, in every 

 instance in which a horse cannot put his heel to the ground — a 

 high-heeled or patten shoe should be put on the foot. This is 

 generally half the cure, as it relieves the part which is sprained. 



A word of caution is necessary, however, with regard to sprains. 

 In all cases of lameness, unless there is exceedingly conclusive 

 evidence to the contrary, the foot should be suspected as the seat of 

 lameness, and especially the shoeing as a cause. 



Burns and Scalds. — All the domestic animals are liable to 

 be burned or scalded : the larger from their dwellings taking fire, 

 or their being employed in certain works; and the smaller, to 

 scalding by hot water accidentally spilt upon them in the kitchen. 

 The seriousness of these accidents usually depends upon the extent 

 of surface and depth involved, and the parts implicated. As a rule, 

 severe burns or scalds either lead to a fatal result or damage the 

 animal so much as to render the expense and trouble of treatment 

 inadvisable. The severity of these accidents cannot, however, be 

 ascertained with certainty until the arrival of the veterinary sur- 

 geon. In the meantime, the injured parts should be excluded from 

 the air as quickly as possible, some soothing application being pre- 

 viously applied. If at hand, in the case of burns or scalds which 

 are not very severe, white lead paint is a good application. Baking 

 soda (bicarbonate of soda) is generally kept in every house, and is 

 a very good remedy ; it may be made up into a paste with water, 

 and laid over the injured part ; or it may be merely sprinkled as a dry 

 powder over it. The well-known '• Carron oil" (equal parts oi' 

 lime water and linseed oil), solution of alum (two ounces to the 

 pint of water), Goulard water, and other applications, have all been 

 commended. 



After dressing with either of them, the parts should be covered 

 thickly with cotton-wool or flour. When the pain is very severe, 

 bathing with oil of turpentine allays it, and an after application oi 

 resin ointment is beneficial. 



Bites and Stings. — Ordinary bites may be treated as lacerated 

 or contused wounds, the part being well cleansed. Poisonous bites, 

 more particularly, require thorough cleansing, and the most prompt 

 treatment, to avert serious or fatal consequences. Active suction 



