WOUNDS. 447 



tincture of arnica, and mix it with a quart of water. Order 

 the horse's head to be tied up for the entire time previous 

 to the application of the shngs, and a groom to set up all 

 night. The groom is to pour out a portion of the diluted 

 tincture, to soak it up with the sponge, and to squeeze out 

 the sponge above the knee, allowing the liquid by the force 

 of gravity to find its way to the injured surface. This he 

 is to repeat every half hour, night and day. The horse, on 

 the evening of the injury, is to take half a drachm of calo- 

 mel, shaken upon the tongue, followed by a drink com- 

 posed of sulphuric ether and laudanum, of each one ounce, 

 with one pint of water. This draught is to be repeated 

 night and morning, so long as the constitution exhibits any 

 disturbance. 



About the fourth day the slings are to be applied. The 

 poor horse with open joints will be heartily tired of sup- 

 porting his body so long upon legs, the knees of which are 

 exposed to the air. He will, therefore, take very kindly to 

 the slings, and throw his weight into them almost so soon 

 as they are securely hung. With the slings, the lotion is 

 to be changed for one composed of chloride of zinc two 

 scruples, water a quart, which is to be appHed exactly in 

 the same manner as the diluted tincture of arnica, only 

 there is no longer any necessity for the groom to sit up 

 with the animal. 



The bruised parts fall out, or slough out, from the fourth 

 to the sixth day, and the solution of chloride of zinc effec- 

 tually stays the stench which accompanies that process. 

 As the lotion flows down it mingles with the synovia, which 

 begins to pour out in earnest as the inflammation mounts 

 upward. When the slough is removed, the chloride of zinc 

 causes the albuminous particles of the synovia to coagulate. 

 The coagulum effectually prevents the lotion entering the 

 joint, and excludes the atmospheric air. The coagulated 

 synovia sometimes accumulates to the size of a large apple ; 

 but to whatever magnitude it attains, it must not be re- 

 moved. It must be protected by every means in the 

 power of the surgeon, for the longer it continues to cover 

 the joint the better. Beneath it the healing process actively 

 goes forward, and by the end of a month or six weeks the 



