WOUNDS 95 



or even the normal solution of common salt, mentioned elsewhere 

 in this chapter. A covering of sterile cotton and bandage should 

 be used. Thereafter avoid infection. If reinfection and sup- 

 puration should occur, then cleaning and disinfection must be 

 repeated. 



An ordinary fountain syringe or some similar device is very 

 satisfactory for continued irrigation. The stockman at a dis- 

 tance from veterinary service may very well have on hand, clean, 

 sharp and ready, a few instruments for emergencies, e.g., two 

 pairs snap artery forceps, cattle trocar and cannula, three and 

 a half inch half curved needles, milking tubes, castrating knife 

 and metal dose syringe for giving liquid medicines. 



Failure to heal may be due to : age and condition of general 

 nutrition ; kind of tissue involved ; impaired blood supply ; to 

 infection; poor treatment and especially unwise meddling. 



Do not rub, w^ash, bandage, sew or meddle in any way except 

 for good reason. Given a healthy animal and an ordinary 

 wound that drains well, the stockman's chief duty is to protect 

 from flies and dirt. The healing will then usually astonish the 

 owner. Dirty bandages are harmful; fresh air and sunlight 

 are very helpful. 



As a matter of fact, medicines never heal a wound. The tis- 

 sue cells do all the healing and the best that medicine can do is 

 to give the cells a fair chance. The best medicine that can come 

 into contact Avith a clean wound surface is probably clean serum 

 from the tissues. 



