35(3 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



being as high as can be borne comfortal)h'. The}" are easih' applied 

 and often yield decided relief in a few hours. In some cases, however, 

 astringents are used in preference, in the form of poultices or pastes, 

 which are made to cover the entire swelling and allowed to remain, 

 drying after a short time, it is true, and perhaps falling ofl", but easily 

 renewed and reapplied. An excellent astringent for these cases is a 

 putty made of powdered chalk and vinegar (acetate of lime), and the 

 whole swelling is then covered with a thick coating of soft clay made 

 into a mass with water. 



These simple remedies are often all that is rec^uired. Under their 

 use the swelling passes off by degrees and after a short interval the 

 animal is fit for work again; but not uncommonly, instead of this a 

 swelling develops, puffy, not painful, and perhaps giving a sensation 

 of crepitation when pressure is applied with the finger. It is soft 

 and evidently contains a liquid, and when freely opened, with a good- 

 sized incision, discharges a certain amount of blood, partly liquid 

 and parth^ coagulated, and perhaps a little hemorrhage will follow. 

 The cavity should then be well washed out and a plug of oakum intro- 

 duced, leaving a small portion protruding through the cut to prevent 

 it from closing prematurely. It may be taken off the next daj-, and 

 a daily cleansing will then be all that is necessar}'. In another case 

 the tumor becomes very soft in its whole extent, with evident fluctua- 

 tion and a well-defined form. The discharge of the fluid is then indi- 

 cated, and a free incision will be followed by the escape of a quantity 

 of thin, 3"ellowish liquid from a single sac. The wound should be kept 

 clean and dressed frequently in order to insure prompt healing. But 

 if the cavitj^ is found to be subdivided in its interior by numerous 

 bands, and the cyst proves to be multilocular, the partitions should 

 be torn out with the fingers, and the cavity then treated in the same 

 manner as the unilocular sac. In still another case the swelling may 

 be warm and painful with indistinct fluctuation, or fluctuation onl}' at 

 a certain point. This indicates an abscess, and necessitates an incision 

 to drain the pus, followed by the careful cleansing and dressing of the 

 wound. 



But cases occur in which all the treatment that has been described 

 fails to effect a full recover}^, and instead a fil)rous tumor begins to 

 develop. A change of treatment is, of course, then in order. The 

 inflammation being chronic will necessitate stimidating treatment of 

 the part in order to increase the process of absorption. We must 

 again draw upon the resources of experience in the form of blisters, 

 the fomentations, the iodine, and the mercurial ointments as hereto- 

 fore mentioned. Good results may always be insured from their 

 judicious and timel}' administration. In applying the powerful min- 

 eral inunctions much patience and wisdom are required. It should be 

 done b}^ carefully and perse veringly rubbing in small quantities daily; 



