VrOLNDS.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[wounds. 



some instances foreign bodies remain in during 

 life, without inconvenience ; and, in other 

 cases, after a time they bring on a renewal 

 of inflammation and suppuration. Sometimes 

 a foreign body changes its situation, and 

 afterwards makes its appearance at a part 

 altogether away from its original seat, where 

 it may excite inflammation and suppuration. 



"When tlie ball lodges in the wound, it is 

 often difficult to trace it, as the parts collapse 

 after its passage ; and as it does not regularly 

 take a straight direction through the injured 

 part, but oftentimes a very tortuous one, 

 which is more apt to occur as the ball is 

 more spent. In every case in which it is not 

 easily discoverable, all painful examinations 

 should be abandoned, and the foreign body 

 left in its situatior', where it rarely creates 

 any trouble. 



Sometimes tlie ball may be both easily 

 found and extracted. If the integuments 

 under which it is lodged, should be so contused 

 that they will probably slough, they are to 

 be considered as already dead ; and an opening 

 is to be made in them for the extraction of 

 the ball. But when the ball lies so remotely 

 from the skin that it can only just be felt, 

 and the skin itself is quit® esinjured, no 

 counter-opening ought to be made. The 

 wound will heal better with the ball left in, 

 and far less inflammation take place in the 

 vicinity of this extraneous body, than about 

 the orifice of the wound. A counter-opening 

 always renders the inflammation at the bottom 

 of the wound as great as at its orifice. It is 

 better to let the wound heal up, and extract 

 the ball afterwards. 



As a certain portion of tlie parts surround- 

 ing the orifice made by the ball, becomes 

 bruised, sloughing must be expected, as it is 

 the operation of separating the bruised or 

 dead bodies from the living. In some cases 

 this takes a little time, when it should be 

 hastened on, by applications such as the fol- 

 lowing : — 



Oil of Turpentine • . • , , , 3 oz. 

 Olive Oil 3 do. 



Shake well together in a bottle, and rub some 

 on, for a distance of six inches all round the 

 wound. This will stimulate it to put on the 

 suppurative process. Apply a tent in the 

 wound, smeared over with the common di- 

 216 



gestive ointment. When the suppurative pro- 

 cess appears too great, desist from applying 

 the liniment, and use, instead, the following 

 lotion : — • 



Alum 1 oz. 



Sulphate of Zinc 2 drachms. 



Water ........ 1 pint. 



Dissolve the alum and zinc in the water. 



Apply this two or three times in the day. The 

 horse should be supported well ; for, in general, 

 these cases come at a time when provender is 

 short, as in time of warfare, &c. Bleeding in 

 gun-shot wounds is not to be recommended, 

 unless symptomatic fever should run high ; and 

 even then it should be done with caution ; for 

 it frequently happens, when the sloughing 

 takes place, the wound bleeds rather more than 

 is to be desired. In such cases use an astrin- 

 gent lotion. As before stated, keep the horse 

 well, or disappointment in all the treatment 

 may in a great measure be the result. Give 

 the following every morning: — 



Sulphate of Iron 10 drachms. 



Grbger 12 do. 



Gentian 12 do. 



Linseed Meal 6 do. 



Form into a mass with soft soap. 



SUTURES. 



In the treatment of wounds, sutures have 

 been frequently mentioned. It may therefore 

 not be improper to name those principally in 

 use, and the method of applying them. 



A suture, in surgery, means a mode of unit- 

 ing the edges of a wound, by keeping them in 

 contact with stitches. 



The Inferrupied Suture. — The wound being 

 cleansed of all clots of blood, and its lips brought 

 evenly into contact, a curved needle, armed 

 with a ligature of thread doubled, or good twine, 

 is to be taken, and carefully passed from with- 

 out, inwards to the bottom, and so on from 

 within outwards. Care must be taken to 

 make the puncture far enough from the edge of 

 the wound, lest the ligature should tear quite 

 through the skin and flesh. The other stitches 

 are only repetitions of the same process. The 

 threads having been all passed, generally begin 

 to tie them in tha^middle of the wound ; 

 though if the lips of the part be carefully held 

 together by an assistant, it will not be of great 

 consequence which stitch ia tied first. The 



