342 DISEASES OF THE ARTICULATIONS 



silile. In simple cnses the animal should be kept in a kennel or in a 

 room for several days. In serious cases where no operation seems to 

 be required, and there is no danger of poison breaking through the joints, 

 and where the inflammatory swelling is not very great, it is best to ap]:)ly 

 the l)andage of cotton and dress over that with a plaster or silicate of 

 sodium bandage, treating it. the same as a fracture. The writer has 

 ol)tained very good results with this method in the carpal, tarsal, and toe- 

 joints. Albrecht advises that the joints should be rubbed with a thick 

 layer of citrine ointment before applying the dressing. (For further 

 details, see under head of Dressings, etc.) 



It is well, however, to take into consideration one point: that the 

 dressing must be in such a position as not to interfere with the use of the 

 leg. With the alcove treatment we generally obtain good results in a 

 short time. In the serious forms of the disease, and where the tlressing 

 cannot be used on account of the position of the joint, we must apply 

 such local applications as will al)ate the inflammation. As a rule, the 

 best treatment is cold-water applications containing lead or arnica. In 

 cases where there are great pain and acute rheumatic inflammation of the 

 joint, it is better not to apph' too much cold water, but use instead 

 Priessnitz's compress. Wrap the joint in a piece of linen which has been 

 folded several times, similar to. a handkerchief, and then cover it with 

 some impervious object, such as oil-cloth, silk, rubber, or a woolen cover. 

 If, for some reason, neither the cold nor moist treatment is practicable, 

 we must paint the part with tincture of iodine once or twice daily, and the 

 fluid must be rubl)ed into the skin by means of a rag. The writer has 

 never had very good results from this method of treatment, but painting 

 with iodine produces better results than any of the liniments, such as 

 camphor or soap liniment. Massage has been found to produce good 

 results in many diseases of the joints in dogs, although it has not been 

 used very extensively by canine practitioners. In chronic cases where 

 there are great thickening and a large qiuintity of secretion of the capsule, 

 as in cases of acute inflammation of the joint, or in purulent arthritis, 

 massage with cocoanut oil is particularly adapted. In cases of rheumatic 

 inflammation of the joint, which have been recognized as such, we 

 must use internal remedies, such as recommended in muscular rheu- 

 matism. 



In many traumatic and purulent inflammations of the joint we can 

 only get good results by an operation which varies acconling to the con- 

 dition. The general procedure is as follows: 



Puncturing. — This method of treatment is indicated in all chronic 

 serous secretions of the joint. As soon as we find that the measures 

 which encourage reabsorption, such as tight dressing and massage, do 

 not produce good results, and where the secretion causes great distention 



