366 IHK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



sutures the edges of divided parts, and when all seems going on 

 favorably, the animal gets his head round, and tears the wound 

 open afresh, so that our labor is all in vain. This puts a damper on 

 healing by first intention. There are several other difficulties in 

 the way of healing by this method, well known to anatomists. 

 We shall just merely refer to the principal one, because it may 

 satisfy the reader that some wounds had better not be sutured, 

 for they put the subject to a great deal of pain for no pur- 

 pose. Horses, as well as some other animals, have, in lieu of 

 hands, a peculiar muscular arrangement under the skin, by 

 means of which they can shake off flies and other foreign bodies ; 

 and it is owing to the facility with which they can jerk or move 

 the skin that we often fail in uniting flesh wounds. Other ob- 

 stacles are to be met with, both in relation to the size of the 

 wound and as regards its anatomical direction. If the wound is 

 seen immediately after infliction, and there seems to be the least 

 probability of healing by first intention, we place a twitch on the 

 horse's nose, and examine the part. If there be found neither 

 dirt nor foreign body of any kind, the blood had better not be 

 washed off; for this is the best healing material in the world. 

 The edges are then to be brought together by interrupted sutures, 

 taking care not to include the hair between the edges of the 

 wound, for that would effectually prevent union. Nothing more 

 is needed but to secure the animal so that he cannot get at it. If 

 he is to be kept in the "stable, without exercise, for any length of 

 time, he had better be put on half diet. Pure air will not 

 hurt him ! 



Contused Wounds. 



These are generally occasioned by hooks, or some blunt body 

 connected with the harness or vehicle. They generally leave a 

 gaping wound with bruised edges. We have only to remember 

 that nature possesses the power of repairing injuries of this 

 kind — of filling up the parts and covering them with new skin ; 

 all we have to do is, to attend to the general health of the animal, 

 and keep the wound in a healthy condition. Our usual applica- 

 tion is the compound tincture of myrrh. If the part assume an 

 unhealthy aspect, a charcoal poultice will rectify that. If such 



