WOUNDS, FRACTURES & DISLOCATIONS 227 



draw the limb forward. Plenty of good food and a strong 

 blister is about the most that can be done towards 

 setting this trouble right . Ligaments and tendons are some- 

 times torn, but both these structures are capable, under 

 proper conditions, of repair. All wounds, no matter 

 whether affecting skin, flesh, tendons, ligaments, or bones, 

 demand one prime factor necessary for their repair, and 

 this is perfect rest — by no means an easy thing to obtain 

 in the horse. When dealing with a wound, either of the 

 skin or flesh, first of all clip the hair off around the seat 

 of the injury with a pair of sharp scissors, or else shave it 

 off. This done, cleanse the wound thoroughly with warm 

 water containing some antiseptic. Any particles of grit, 

 dirt, etc., must be removed. If the wound is bleeding too 

 freely search for the divided vessel, which when found 

 should be ligatured, i.e. tied up with stout silk thread or 

 catgut. Pressure will sometimes do instead. Cold water 

 is useful for the same purpose, but it must be understood 

 that the loss of two or three quarts of blood, or even a 

 gallon or more, in the horse, is of very little importance. 

 Having assured oneself that the wound is clean it can then 

 be sutured or sewn up, using silk or catgut for this purpose. 

 Punctured wounds must never be sewn, but syringed out 

 daily with antiseptic solution. As soon as the wound is 

 dry, certainly not before, paint it with iodine hniment 

 and then proceed to draw the cut edges of the wound 

 together, taking particular care that the stitches are not 

 drawn too tightly, otherwise they will tear out and still 

 further aggravate the injury. Deep wounds of the 

 muscles, such as one commonly sees on the buttocks and 

 quarters, do not do well when they are stitched. If there 

 is a flap of skin hanging down remove this and let the 

 wound heal in an open manner, only keep it clean and 

 dress daily with an antiseptic lotion — say J oz. pure 

 carbolic acid to a pint of water, shaking the two well 

 together and if necessary adding the same quantity of 

 glycerine as acid. This will help to dissolve the carbolic. 



