TREATMENT OF WOUNDS. 201 



we have to do is, to attend to the general health of the 

 animal, and keep the wound in a healthy condition. Our 

 usual application is the compound tincture of myrrh. If 

 the part assume an unhealthy aspect, a charcoal poultice 

 will rectify that. If such cannot be applied, owing to the 

 situation of the wound, dress it with pyroligneous acid. 



Lacerated AYounds. — Lacerated wounds are gene- 

 rally in the form of a rent rather than cut, inflicted (as we 

 have seen cases) by the caulking of a shoe tearing off the 

 integuments and subcellular tissue, leaving a sort of tri- 

 angular flap. In these cures we generally employ sutures, 

 and treat them the same as incised wounds. 



Punctured Wounds are those inflicted by a pointed 

 body, as a nail in the foot, the point of a fork, or a splin- 

 ter of wood. These are the most dangerous kinds of 

 wounds, for they are frequently the cause of fistula and 

 locked -jaw. 



We make it an invariable rule, in the treatment of 

 punctured wounds, to first examine by probe, or otherwise, 

 and remove any foreign body that may be present, and 

 then poultice with flaxseed, into which we stir a small 

 quantity of fir balsam. In puncture of the foot by nail, 

 instead of plastering it with tar, and forcing a tent into the 

 orifice, and then covering the sole with leather, as most 

 blacksmiths are wont to do, we have the shoe taken off, 

 the foot washed clean, and a moderately warm poultice 

 applied, and renewed daily, until the suppurative stage 

 commences. That once established, we consider our patient 

 safe ; for many men; as well as animals, have lost their lives 

 from the absorption of pus formed in the wound after the 

 external breach had healed. When a bone is injured by 

 the point of a nail, or fork, the cure is rather tedious; the 

 primary means, however, are the same. The poultices may 

 be followed by astringent injections, as alum water, &c. 



