WOUNDS. 437 



forth their adhesive coagula, prolong themselves through 

 the extravasated matter by their own vitality ; the adhesive 

 fluid gluing the surfaces, as the inosculating vessels unite. 

 Some veterinarians deny that this union ever takes place in 

 the horse ; which opinion is certainly erroneous. Although 

 the force of the arterial circulation in the horse usually 

 hurries on the suppurative process, yet it is more owing to 

 the difficulty arising from his restlessness, than to any con- 

 stitutional peculiarity, that primary union does not oftener 

 happen. It is, therefore, the duty of every veterinary prac- 

 titioner to endeavour to promote the adhesive union by a 

 perfect adaptation of the sides of the wound together, and 

 by a careful retention of them in this situation. 



Sutures are stitches made in a wound with needles, armed 

 with either silk, cotton, thread, worsted, fine tape, or zinc 

 wire ; the silk, cotton, or thread, are usually many times 

 doubled, that they may not cut the parts, and are also waxed 

 to increase their tenacity. There used to be many kinds of 

 sutures, but modern surgery has reduced the number to 

 three ; at least, the interrupted, the twisted, and the con- 

 tinued, are those principally in use. The interrupted suture 

 is nothing more than an indefinite number of distinct loops, 

 the ends of the thread being tied, or of the wire twisted, 

 together. For deep wounds, where the substance of the 

 integuments is to be brought into apposition, the needles 

 used are curved, with their bodies somewhat flattened ; 

 which form best adapts itself to penetrating the depth of 

 the divided edges in injuries of this kind. The lips of 

 the wound having been cleansed from clots of blood, or any 

 extraneous matter, should be carefully brought together in 

 exact apposition : but unless there be danger of dirt, or 

 other extraneous substance intervening, much washing or 

 wetting the part had better be avoided. The wound, more- 

 over, had better be allowed to remain open until all bleeding 

 has ceased, and the sides have become sticky. The needle 

 properly armed, is now to be carried from without inward, 

 to a sufficient depth to prevent the ligature tearing away the 

 flesh ; when having penetrated one lip carry the needle 

 through the other, from within outward. Cut it away and 

 leave it untied ; again thread or arm the needle, and if 

 required, repeat the operation in the same manner for 



