464 DISEASES OF 'tHE HORSE. 



object, as where a horse runs against fences, board piles, the corners 

 of buildings, or where he is struck by the pole or shafts of another 

 team, falling on rough irregular stones, etc. 



Contused wounds are caused by blunt instruments moving with 

 sufficient velocity to bruise and crush the tissues, as running against 

 objects, kicks, or falling on large, hard masses. 



Treatment. — In lacerated wounds great care must at first be exer- 

 cised in examining or probing to the very bottom of the rent or tear, 

 to see if any foreign body be present. Very often splinters of wood 

 or bits of stone or dirt are thus lodged, and unless removed prevent 

 the wound from healing; or if it should heal the wound soon opens 

 again, discharging a thin, gluey matter that is characteristic of the 

 presence of some object in the part. After a thorough exploration 

 these wounds are to be carefully and patiently fomented with warm 

 water, to which has been added carbolic acid in the proportion of 1 

 part to 100 of water. Karely, if ever, are stitches to be inserted in 

 lacerated wounds. The surrounding tissues and skin are so weakened 

 in vitality and structure by the contusions that stitches will not hold ; 

 they only irritate the parts. It is better to endeavor to secure coap- 

 tation by means of bandages, plasters, or collodion. One essential in 

 the treatment of lacerated wounds is to secure a free exit for the pus. 

 If the orifice of the wound is too high, or if jdus is found to be bur- 

 rowing in the tissues beneath the opening, we must then make a 

 counter opening as low as possible. This will admit of the wound 

 being thoroughly washed out, at first with warm water, and after- 

 wards injected with some mild astringent and antiseptic wash, as 

 chloride of zinc, 1 dram to a pint of water. A dependent opening 

 must be maintained until the wound ceases to discharge. Repeated 

 hot fomentations over the region of lacerated wounds afford much 

 relief and should be persisted in. 



Bruises are nothing but contused wounds where the skin has 

 not been ruptured. There is often considerable solution of con- 

 tinuity of the i^arts under the skin, subcutaneous hemorrhage, 

 etc., which may result in local death (mortification) and slough of 

 the bruised parts. If the bruise or contusion is not so severe, many 

 cases are quickly cured by constant fomentation Avith hot water for 

 from two to four hours. The water should be allowed about this 

 time to gradually become cool and then cold. Cold fomentation must 

 then be kept up for another hour or two. Dry the parts thoroughly 

 and quickly and bathe them freely with camphor 1 ounce, sweet oil 

 8 ounces, or with equal parts of lead water and laudanum. A dry, 

 light bandage should then be applied, the horse allowed to rest, 

 and if necessary the treatment may be repeated each day for two or 



