164 ACCIDENTS AND OPERATIONS. 



process which nature goes through is more complicated. 

 In the former, the parts are speedily glued together, so 

 soon almost as in contact, and the union is generally 

 complete within the first thirty-six hours. Not so, 

 however, with the latter. Here the parts are bruised, 

 torn, and perhaps to a considerable extent awanting. 

 Some of the bruised portions may die, and are of course 

 to be renewed. This is a process requiring a great 

 effort on the part of the vital powers, which are often 

 inadequate to the task, and on this account we ought, 

 M hen the injury is severe, to sacrifice the animal rather 

 than run the risk of its dying during the process of the 

 attempted cure. To replace the lost part, suppura- 

 tion, or the formation of matter commences ; while 

 under cover of this, a crop of fleshy particles (granula- 

 tions) rise to fill the vacancy. Granulations are best 

 promoted by warm emollient applications, such as 

 poultices of oatmeal, linseed-meal, or barley -flour, 

 which ought to be frequently renewed to prevent their 

 becoming cold or dry. When the granulations become 

 too luxuriant, and rise, as they are apt to do, above the 

 level of the skin, the poultices must be laid aside, the 

 sore washed once or twice a-day with a solution o 

 sulphate of copper (made by dissolving two or three 

 drachms of blue vitriol in an English pint of soft water), 

 and covered carefully over with a pledget of fine tow, 

 spread with lard, or any simple ointment, by which 

 means, conjoined with cleanliness, a cure will easily be 

 accomplished. 



(111.) Punctured Wounds. The orifice being small 

 in these, and the depth considerable, the sides are apt 

 to adhere irregularly, and preveut the free escape of 



