426 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



preliminary irrigation with the corrosive sublimate solution 

 is dispensed with. This, however, should on no account be 

 omitted. In our opinion it constitutes the very essence of 

 the rationality of the treatment. 



\(b) Curative. — It may happen, however, and often does, 

 that this first injection of an antiseptic is unsuccessful in 

 preventing organismal infection of the wound. In this 

 case grave constitutional disturbance and other untoward 

 symptoms such as we have already described quickly make 

 their appearance. 



The animal should now be placed in slings and prepara- 

 tions made for actively treating the wound with antiseptics. 

 Whether we fail or not, we have the satisfaction of knowing 

 that we have given to the patient the best and the only 

 chance of recovery. 



It should be remembered, however, and should be pointed 

 out to the owner, that with purulent arthritis fully devel- 

 oped, with the grave constitutional changes it occasions, 

 and with the ever-present danger of a general septic in- 

 vasion of the blood-stream, that the human surgeon under 

 such circumstances offers to his patient the alternatives of 

 amputation or probable death. With us no such alterna- 

 tive is possible. It is either return the joint to some sem- 

 blance of its former usefulness, or destroy the patient. 



In this case we advise the injection of the original wound, 

 and also such fistulous openings as may have formed, with 

 the 1 in 1,000 sublimate solution. Also, in order to avoid 

 ihe sometimes abortive attempts of the antiseptic pad, to 

 maintain a condition of asepsis around the wound, we 

 advise the continual soaking of the whole foot in a cold 

 antiseptic bath. This may be either carbolic acid 1 in 20, 

 or — what is less volatile, perhaps more effectual, and cer- 

 tainly more economical — perchloride of mercury 1 in 1,000. 



It has been our good fortune, even when we have seen 

 the foot almost detached from the limb by the devastating 

 inroads of the pus, to see the suppurative process by this 

 means gradually overcome, a reparative anchylosis set in, 



