PUNCTURED WOUNDS. 465 



three days. If, ho^Yever, the wound is so severe that sloughing must 

 ensue, we should encourage this by poultices made of linseed meal, 

 wheat bran, turnips, onions, bread and milk, or hops. Charcoal is 

 to be sprinkled over the surface of the poultice when the wound is 

 bad smelling. After the slough has fallen off the wound is to be 

 dressed with warm antiseptic washes of carbolic acid, chloride of 

 zinc, permanganate of potash, etc. If granulating (filling up) too 

 fast, use burnt alum or air-slaked lime. Besides this local treatment, 

 we find that the constitutional symptoms of fever and inflammation 

 call for measures to prevent or control them. This is best done by 

 placing the injured animal on soft or green food. A physic of Bar- 

 bados aloes, 1 ounce, should be given as soon as possible after the 

 accident. Sedatives, such as tincture of aconite root, 15 drops, 

 three times a day, or ounce doses of saltpeter every four hours, may 

 also be administered. When the symptoms of fever are abated, and 

 if the discharges from the wound are abundant, the strength of the 

 patient must be supported by good food and tonics. One of the 

 best tonics is as follows : Powdered sulphate of iron, powdered gen- 

 tian, and powdered ginger, of each 4 ounces. Mix thoroughly and 

 give a heaping tablespoonful twice a day, on the feed or as a drench. 



PUNCTURED WOUNDS. 



Punctured wounds are produced by the penetration of a sharp or 

 blunt pointed substance, such as a thorn, fork, nail, etc., and the 

 orifice of these wounds is always small in proportion to their depth. 

 In veterinary practice punctured wounds are -much more common 

 than the others. They involve the feet most frequently, next the 

 legs, and often the head and face from nails protruding through the 

 stalls and trough. They are not only the most frequent, but they are 

 also the most serious, owing to the difficulty of obtaining thorough 

 disinfection. Another circumstance rendering them so is the lack of 

 attention that they at first receive. The external wound is so small 

 that but little or no importance is attached to it, yet in a short time 

 swelling, pain, and acute inflammation, often of a serious character, 

 are manifested. 



Considering the most common of the punctured wounds, we must 

 give precedence to those of the feet. Horses worked in cities, about 

 iron works, around building places, etc., are most likely to receive 

 " nails in the feet." The animal treads upon nails, pieces of iron 

 or screws, and forces them into the soles of the feet. If the nail, or 

 whatever it is that has punctured the foot, is fast in some large or 

 heavy body, and is withdrawn as the horse lifts his foot, lameness 

 may last for only a few steps; but unless properly attended to at 

 once he will be found in a day or two to be very lame in the injured 



H. Doc. 795, 59-2 30 



