175 



-occasioned great surprise to the owner and his servants. The severed 

 muscles were bathed, and stitched together, with carbolised cat-gut sutures. 

 A drainage tube smeared with ointment of carbolic acid, eucalyptus, iodoform 

 and lard was inserted over the muscles ; and then the skin was stitched up 

 with medicated silk on the whole extent, with the exception of the lower 

 part, through which the tube was left depending, to act as a draining orifice 

 to this extensive and severe injury. The external surface of the wound was 

 now covered over with a bundle of carbolised tow. The wound was then 

 carefully bandaged up, so as to support the lower part of the disunited 

 muscles. On the following day, the injury showed no alteration beyond 

 slight swelling. The parts were dressed with a solution made of 

 carbolic acid, eucalyptus oil, a little tincture of opium and water, and the 

 tube was re-dressed. On November 20th, there was a little more swelling, 

 ^vhich had broken several of the sutures in the skin. There was now some 

 discharge externally. No fomentations were allowed, but the parts were 

 dressed daily with the antiseptic ointment. The foal was one of great 

 value, and had been entered for racing ; and consequently an attendant was 

 set aside to watch, and attend to him constantly. On November 21st, the 

 skin sutures had all broken away, but the union of the muscles appeared to 

 be quite firm. The pulse rose to 48 beats per minute, but the temperature 

 always remained at its normal height. After this time, the parts were only 

 dressed with the antiseptic ointment above mentioned. On November 24th 

 the union of the muscles was firmer, but the skin had separated about 

 four-and-a-half inches. Much granulation tissue, otherwise called proud 

 flesh, had now formed. On the 27th of November, the discharge had almost 

 ceased, and on the 2nd of December, it had quite disappeared. The wound 

 was healtl;y, and the skin wound was now only two inches long. On 

 December 9th, the foal was liberated. Afterwards, the remaining tissues 

 speedily grew together, and ultimately the animal made a perfect recovery. 



BRUSHING, SPEEDY CUTTING, SORE BACK, HARNESS 



GALLS. 

 We now propose to consider briefly the nature and methods of treating 

 several forms of injury to special parts. The first kinds to which we have to 

 draw attention are brushing and speedy cutting. Of these two unpleasant 

 forms of self-inflicted injury, the latter is the most dangerous. 



By brushing we understand the wounding of the fetlock by the outer 

 edge of the inner quarter of the shoe of the opposing leg. This injury is 

 chiefly confined to the hind extremity. When the animal wounds the inner 

 side of the fore leg immediately below the knee, by the agency of the 

 opposing fore foot, the injury is termed a^speedy cut. As might be expected, 

 horses not uncommonly inflict a wound, at a point between the seats of these 

 two injuries. In some cases of spinal disease, cutting is liable to be very 

 severe indeed. In such instances the injury is inflicted by the whole of the 

 hoof, and not only by the tip of the shoe. 



