986 



DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



FIG. 848. Festula of the withers, show- 

 ing seton. 



4 ounces salt petre, 1 ounce sugar of lead, 



1 ounce muriate of ammonia, 1 pint common salt, 



2 gallons cold water. 



Lay on a few thicknesses of 

 cloth, and keep wet with it. 



Or the following may be 

 used: 



8 ounces tincture of arnica, 

 1 quart water. 



If, however, matter forms, 

 the sooner the abscess is opened 

 the better. When this is done, 

 the extent of the injury, or 

 of the sinus, if any have 

 formed, must be carefully as- 

 certained with a probe, or by 

 introducing the finger. If this 

 cannot be done to advantage, then the pipes must be destroyed by 

 the introduction of caustic tents, as before explained for treating 

 deep seated ulcers, so that it will make a clean sore ; then a de- 

 pending opening for the matter to run off must be made by pass- 

 ing a seton from the bottom outward, and sponge or syringe 

 it out once a day with 

 a strong suds of warm 

 water and castile soap. 

 It must be borne in 

 mind that if allowed 

 to heal over with pus, 

 or any unhealthy mat- 

 ter remaining at the 

 bottom , matter will 

 continue to form, and 

 finally break out anew, 

 making, if anything, a 

 more complicated con- 

 dition of ulcer. The 



... , , ,, FIG. 849. Good method of covering the parts, 



point is to see that all 



foreign matter, sinuses, or unhealthy bone, is thoroughly removed. 

 Sinuses can be removed either by cutting away or sloughing off 



