314 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



The lead and zinc should be put in a quart bottle with a pint of rain 

 water and well shaken, when the balance of the water may be added. 



In wounds of this description the process of repair may be complicated 

 by the appearance of exuberant granulations, popularly known as 

 " proud " or " dead flesh," but these should not be interfered with unless 

 they should continue after the acute stage of inflammation has been sub- 

 dued. If, after this, they persist, they may be treated with a solution 

 of sulphate of copper (bluestone) or nitrate of silver (lunar caustic) and 

 water. Irritation, caused by an overinterference with the process of 

 repair, and injudicious bandaging are potent factors in bringing about 

 this condition, and the discontinuance of either or both, will often leave 

 no necessity for special treatment. 



Contused or lacerated wounds. These are usually caused by a blow 

 with some blunt instrument, the breaking of the flooring, or an animal 

 getting one of its limbs through or over the partition between the stalls. 

 The seriousness depends largely on the depth of the injury, and treat- 

 ment should be directed to allaying the inflammation and preventing 

 the consequent tendency to sloughing. To this end soothing applica- 

 tions, such as fomentations and poultices, are plainly indicated. 



Methods of healing. These may technically be divided into a num.* 

 ber of distinct processes, but practically we may speak of them as two 

 only, viz., by primary union or adhesion, and by granulation. As sup- 

 puration is not so liable to occur in the ox as in the horse, healing by 

 the former and more speedy process is much more common in the first 

 named species, more particularly in clean cut or incised wounds, pro- 

 vided they have been stitched within twelve hours from the time the 

 injury which caused them was inflicted ; that they have been kept clean 

 and that the patient has by some means been kept fairly still. This 

 latter stipulation is probably hardest to comply with. Quiet is an 

 important factor in the process of repair among the lower animals as 

 well as their masters, and the rule is none the less good because unfor- 

 tunately it is more frequently honored in the breach than in the observ- 

 ance. Healing by this method is in some cases extraordinarily quick, 

 union between the divided parts having been known to take place as 

 soon as twenty-four hours after their adjustment by the surgeon. 



The second method of healing, namely, by granulation, which is, 

 however, the manner in which most wounds in animals heal, takes much 

 longer time. In punctured wounds of any depth healing necessarily 

 takes place in this way only, and the treatment should be directed 

 largely to alleviating pain and moderating inflammation. The former 

 can be accomplished by opium applied locally in the form of the diluted 

 tincture, or given internally in repeated small doses, and the latter by 

 aconite or fluid extract of gelsemium. Twenty-five to thirty drops of 

 either are given at intervals depending on the severity of the fever in 

 the drinking water or dropped on the tongue, 



After treatment and dressing of wounds. The dressing of wounds, 

 whether they have been attended to by a veterinarian or not, is a mat- 



