112 LAMENESS OF THE HORSE 



Treatment. — Just as has been stated in discussions on the 

 subject of open joint, probing or other instrumentation is to be 

 avoided until the exterior of the wound and a liberal area sur- 

 rounding has been thoroughly cleansed — too much importance 

 can not be placed on this preliminary measure. In cases of open 

 joint where ragged wound margins exist and the interior of the 

 joint capsule is contaminated, much time is required to 

 thoroughly cleanse all soiled parts. In some instances an hour's 

 time is required for this cleansing process after the subject has 

 lieen restrained and prepared. In order to thoroughly cleanse 

 these delicate structures without doing them serious injury, one 

 ought to be skillful and careful in all manipulations of the ex- 

 posed parts of the joint capsule. 



The general plan of treatment, after preliminary cleansing 

 has been accomplished, has been outlined on page 66 in the 

 consideration of scapulohumeral joint affections. The injection 

 of undiluted tincture of iodin in ounce quantities, it must be 

 remembered, is not to be done unless there is provision for its 

 free exit. Where good drainage from the joint cavity exists 

 all infected wounds should be thus treated, and this treatment 

 may be repeated as conditions seem to require — until infection 

 is checked. 



If daily injections are necessary, dilution of the tincture of 

 iodin with an equal amount of alcohol is advisable in order to 

 avoid doing irreparable damage to the articular cartilages and 

 synovial membranes. 



An antiseptic powder composed of equal parts of boric acid 

 and exsiccated alum is employed to protect the wound surfaces 

 and the margins, and the parts are then bandaged. In bandag- 

 ing wounds of this kind a liberal amount of cotton should be 

 employed, and after a large surface surrounding the wound has 

 been thoroughly cleansed, it must be so kept thereafter. This 

 is impossible, if one uses a small amount of cotton, particularly 

 if such meager quantity of dressing material is carelessly 

 wrapped in position with an insufficient amount of bandage ma- 

 terial. Mention, without description of the elemental problem 

 of applying cotton and bandages to a wound, would be suffi- 

 cient, were it not that this is a very important part of the hand- 



