WOUNDS AND INJURIES. 475 



and its contents liberated, but it will refill many times in 

 succession. The best plan to pursue, is not to open the sac 

 at once ; (that is, if the practitioner be called in to a case of 

 the kind soon after the accident), but to foment the injury- 

 several times a day, for several days in succession, until the 

 diseased action has had time to exhaust itself, when the swelling 

 may be freely opened, and its contents evacuated. After the 

 part is opened, should the situation of the cavity permit, pres- 

 sure may be applied ; it will hasten the cui*e by preventing a 

 further effusion of serum. But if pressure cannot be applied, 

 and the sac refills if left alone, enlarge the opening previously 

 made, inject Arnica freely within, and leave a tent of tow in 

 the orifice for twelve or fourteen hours, at the end of which 

 time the lips of the opening vdll be found swollen, and purulent 

 matter will issue therefrom. All which then remains to be done 

 will be to encourage for a time such purulent discharge until a 

 new action is thoroughly established ; then remove the tent 

 from the orifice, and dress daily with warm Arnica or warm 

 Calendula lotion, of the strength described at page 468. 



Systemic Distuebance Caused by Wounds. — We have 

 now to consider the principal phenomena of a constitutional 

 nature which occasionally become manifest as a sequence to 

 wounds and injuries of every variety, and of almost every degree 

 of severity, save those of the most trivial character. To early 

 recognise and successfully combat two forms of systemic dis- 

 turbance of the traumatic class will require every care, and at 

 times the highest skill, on the part of the veterinary surgeon. 

 The first is Traumatic Fever ; the second. Traumatic Tetanus. 



Traumatic Fever may terminate in Traumatic Tetanus ; or 

 Traumatic Tetanus may supervene without any perceptible 

 intervention of Traumatic Fever, or the two may be associated. 



