182 RURAL VETERINARY SECRETS 



GENERAL TREATMENT OF WOUNDS 



THE GENERAL TREATMENT OF WOUNDS may be 



briefly stated as follows : First, to stop the bleeding and remove any 

 foreign substance, such as dirt; second, to protect from germs; 

 third, to bring the parts as closely together as possible, keep down 

 excessive inflammation, and prevent the accumulation of dis- 

 charges. A wound is said to be healthy when it looks like a clean 

 cut; unhealthy when it is pale, covered with pus, small clots of 

 blood or proud flesh ; inflamed or angry when hot and of a dark 

 red color; indolent when the process of healing seems stopped 

 before the proper time, e. g., a sitfast. It may be stated as a gen- 

 eral rule that if a wound continues dry, and not ill-smelling, looks 

 healthy, etc., that it should not be interfered with, but if pus forms 

 it should be washed clean once or twice a day with clean, warm 

 or cold water, a syringe or piece of cheese cloth (do not use a sponge, 

 the cheese cloth can be burnt after once using), then apply once daily 

 a solution of Lotio Vita, this heals without leaving a scar. 



CONTROL OF BLEEDING (Hemorrhage). This is the first 

 thing to do in connection with wounds, as the animal's life blood may 

 very soon flow away, if the bleeding is from an artery. Bleeding from 

 veins as a rule is seldom dangerous, unless the animal is in an already 

 weakened condition. Sometimes bleeding is arrested by the contraction 

 of the muscular coat of the artery; an artery partially cut through will 

 continue to bleed, when if entirely cut across the bleeding will often 

 stop, owing to the fact that the musclar contraction mentioned becomes 

 possible. 



Surgical methods of stopping bleeding are by the use of forceps 

 performing the torsion (twisting), in this form the divided end of the 

 artery is seized by the forceps and twisted until it breaks loose from 

 the forceps ; the emasculator and ecraseur are instruments partially 

 working on this principle, they crush the coats of the vessels. Tying, 

 or ligating, as it is termed, silk, twine, catgut or other m.aterials are 

 used for this purpose; styptics are occasionally used, they cause clot- 

 ting of the blood and thus stop the flov.^ mechanically, for such purposes 

 tincture of Iron, or Lotio Vita are used; the hot iron (cautery) is also 

 reliable for this purpose, in docking and castrating lambs, and some- 

 times in horses, in the larger animals bleeding may occur when the scab 

 left from the burning falls off, usually about seven days after the opera- 

 tion. The use of dirty materials, such as cobwebs, earth, etc., is dan- 

 gerous, as these materials often contain germs of various diseases, e. g.. 

 lockjaw (tetanus). IbU water (about 110° F.) or ice cold water will 



