50 VETERINARY 



prevented from healing the edges, tuck in y and ?;■ 

 degree of callosity takes place. The orifice is, irr 

 general, very small, and gives us no idea of the 

 extent of the sinus. 



A fistula is, in fact, a continuation of a dis- 

 ease, the parts heing unable to remove the cause' 

 which first produced it, or its effects. Fistulas 

 may arise in any other part of the body, from ex- 

 traneous matter lodged in a part, and continually 

 keening up a degree of irritation. As for instance,, 

 an exfoliated bone, or a bullet, &c/, or it may hap- 

 pen from a diseased state of the parts, which are 

 deep seated, and are generally indolent, and slow 

 in their union ; as a diseased bone, tendon, liga- 

 ment, &c. or from the matter in an abscefs not 

 meeting with a depending drain. 



In the treatment of nstuloe, we should always 

 endeavour to remove immediately the cause pro- 

 ducing it, if it remain. A perfect exposure of the 

 fistulous sinus, by incision, is then the next object, 

 so as to allow a complete exit for the whole of the 

 matter. We must next endeavour to bring it to 

 the state of a simple ulcer, by pouring on the part 

 oil of turpentine, or olive-oil, heated to such a de- 

 gree as to produce eschar ; afterwards drefs with 

 common turpentine spread on tow, and frequently 



