78 WOUNDS AND BRUISES. 



disturbance caused by the absorption of pus, or of the products of 

 pus cells, into the circulation. 



SYMPTOMS. — The local symptoms of an acute circumscribed 

 abscess are tenderness, swelling, heat, tlii'obbing, and " pointing." 

 When pus has formed, the part, Avhich was abnormally hard during 

 the formation of the abscess, will become soft to the touch, and may 

 " pit." The presence of a chronic abscess may become apparent by 

 the swelling and fluctuation of its contents. 



The symptoms of an acute diffuse abscess {diffuse cellulitis) some- 

 what resemble those of hmnan erysipelas. I have seen in a horse, 

 several deejD-seated abscesses form between the fore limb and chest, 

 in the arm-pit and underneath the lower part of the shoulder blade ; 

 the cause being infection after firing the back tendons of the leg. 

 The first symptoms were pain and throbbing of the tissues imme- 

 diately above the abscess which was in course of formation, and 

 great swelling and tenderness of the leg from that part downwards. 

 In two or three days the swollen surface was doughy, that is, it left 

 a mark similar to what dough would do if pressed upon with the 

 finger. But there was no pus near the surface; for when the skiUj 

 with the object of relieving tension, was cut through with the knife 

 at various parts, the wounds, which had the appearance of yellow, 

 moist cheese, exuded only orange-ooloured serum, more or less mixed 

 with blood. The swelling of the limb rapidly became enormously 

 large and very painful, until an abscess was opened, when the 

 swelling soon subsided, only to re-appear on the formation of the 

 next abscess. 



PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT.— I have had admirable results in the 

 treatment, among human beings, of boils^ — especially, those of undoubted 

 parasitic origin in India— by the frequent (say six or seven times a day) 

 application to the part, of eucalyptus oil, which, when used early, checks the 

 formation of pus, seemingly by acting on the bacteria Avhich accompany it, 

 with the result that instead of an abscess appearing, little or no pus forms, 

 and the part soon regains its normal condition. A valuable peculiarity in 

 eucalyptus oil is that, although it has only a slightly irritating action on the 

 skin, it has a powerfully repressive effect on bacteria. We all know that a 

 blister applied over a superficial abscess Avhich is forming, stimulates the part 

 to healthy action. I think we may go further, and say that under its influ- 

 ence far less pus becomes accumulated than if the natural course of the 

 abscess had not been interfered with, or if the part had been poulticed or 

 fomented with warm water, either of which processes aid the development 

 of pus. As the presence of ])us favours the destruction of tissue, and ni;iy 

 set up blood poisoning, w^e should try to prevent it forming ; or, if this 

 cannot be done, w^e should try to remove it. Exj^osing a tissue in which })ns 

 is forming to the action of the air (in other words, prematurely opening an 

 abscess), generally gives rise to unhealthy action in the part. Referring to 

 human surgery, Watson Clieyne (Treves' "System of Surgery") advises: 

 " When once it is certain or probable that pus is present, means must be 

 taken to open the abicess without further delay, and to provide a free exit for 



