FLESH WOUNDS. 295 



are white, spongy, and moist; there is no discharge of laudable pus, but 

 of a thinnish ichorous matter, generally of a dirty-white color. The 

 slough now falls off, leaving a wound of more or less magnitude, accord- 

 ing to the severity of the burn, which takes many months to heal; it 

 then leaves a cicatrix of a hard, dense, cartilaginous nature, which con- 

 tracts more or less, pulling the surrounding skin into puckered folds, 

 which ever afterward constitute an unsightly blemish. 



The most intractable cases are those where the regions of the elbow 

 and shoulder are burnt or scalded. Here, in consequences of the contin- 

 ual action of the parts, and the attrition caused by the motion of the 

 chest against the muscles of the inner part of the arm, the wound never 

 heals. Very often the whole limb is burnt, exposing tendons, muscles, 

 and destroying the tissues j^rotecting the articular cavities; such cases 

 should always be destroyed at once. But if the gluteal region or thick 

 part of the thigh be burnt, involving none of the joints, recovery may 

 ensue, although the injury be excessive. 



Horses sometimes die from the first shock; the animal sinks from col- 

 lapse; the rigors become severe, with great restlessness, feebleness of the 

 pulse, sighing respiration, rapid prostration, and death. 



Treatment. — In all the curable cases, Oarron oil, namely, linseed 

 oil and lime water, in equal parts, is to be applied frequently. A good 

 plan is to dredge this over with flour, or if the oil and lime water is not 

 to be easily obtained, dredging with flour is a good plan, or apply cloths wet 

 with a saturated solution of bicarbonate of sodium. The Carron oil and 

 flour prevent pain, by excluding the atmosphere; and should neither 

 remedy be at hand, the parts may be protected by cotton wool or anything 

 that will exclude the air. A solution of nitrate of silver, five grains to the 

 ounce of water, to be applied continually, or as often as each application 

 dries, for several hours, is said to be effective. Opium and stimulants 

 are to be administered, and the bowels acted upon by a purgative: 



Powdered aloes 3 vi. 



Powdered gentian 3 ij. 



Linseed meal and molasses sufficient 



To make one ball. 



This should operate in ten or twelve hours. In about four days pus will 

 form. The wound has now to be treated like any other suppurating sore. 



