158 The Care of Animals 



applications of hot water often give considerable relief 

 by softening and soothing the tissues. Such applica- 

 tions should be continued for a half hour and applied 

 three or four times daily. Poultices applied to the 

 part are also advisable, but the}^ should not be continued 

 until the part becomes soft and debilitated. Cold 

 water is also excellent to relieve irritation, especially 

 when there is much heat in the part. The cold applica- 

 tions should be continued for a considerable time. 



Inflammation may terminate in several ways. It 

 may gradually subside and the part return to its normal 

 condition; two parts may adhere or grow together; 

 pus or "matter" may form, this condition being known 

 as suppuration. Another termination is "mortification," 

 the affected tissues dying and sloughing away, pro- 

 viding the animal lives. 



In some diseases, it is frequently necessary, in order 

 to effect a cure, that inflammation be set up artificially. 

 This is usually accomplished by applying some irritant 

 to the surface over the diseased part. Such treatment 

 has been described in an earlier chapter (Chapter VII), 

 and includes burning the part with a hot iron, or 

 "firing," rubbing on some irritating substance in the 

 form of a blister or liniment, or placing a foreign body 

 in the tissues in the form of a seaton. 



WOUNDS 



Wounds are recent breaks in living tissue and are 

 usually caused by violence, such as kicks, blows, or 

 external contact with foreign bodies. In rare cases 



