300 VETEEINAKY MEDICINE AND SUEGEEY. 



haps with some constitutional weakness, arising from bad food, or other 

 cause of general debility. Healthy ulcers, when improperly treated, are 

 apt to degenerate to this form. 



The treatment ought to consist of some mild astringent dressing, as 

 the solution of sulphate of zinc or of copper, the periodical use of the 

 nitrate of silver — say, every three days, if thought requisite — and the 

 careful application of a bandage, both to the ulcer and to its neighborhood, 

 in order to stimulate the granulations and to correct the tendency to 

 congestion. The general system is to be corrected by a gentle purgative, 

 succeeded by tonics and diuretics; at the same time the strength is to be 

 kept up by good, nourishing, but easily digestible food, dry food being 

 preferable to moist. The patient ought to have regular exercise, and 

 great attention must be paid to cleanliness. 



dcL Indolent ulcer, found usually about the coronet of old horses. 

 Its edges are thick, prominent, comparatively insensible, smooth, shining, 

 firm, incompressible, and without any appearance of cicatrix; the sur- 

 rounding parts are swollen, hard, incompressible, and if the skin be 

 white, discoloration will be seen from congestion of the vessels; the sur- 

 face of the ulcer is nearly devoid of granulations, smooth, glossy, and 

 whitish, gray, or brown in color; the discharge is thin, watery, and 

 scanty. The treatment of this ulcer is by blister, succeeded by gently 

 stimulating dressings, but bandages do more harm than good. The 

 constitutional treatment must depend upon the condition of the animal, 

 but generally a purgative is useful. 



Ath. Inflamed ulcer. The edges are red or purple, swollen, hot, 

 tense, tender, and painful; the sore presents no granulations, but has a 

 raw, pulpy, foul, and even livid appearance; the discharge is offensive, 

 profuse, mingled with blood and ulcerative debris; the pain is great, and 

 there is always some attendant fever. This ulcer may be caused by the 

 presence of some foreign body in the part, which must be removed; it 

 may be a piece of dead tissue, skin, ligament, or bone, as when this ulcer 

 is produced by a tread. Whatever it be, the first step in the treatment 

 must be its removal. This being done, the inflamed ulcer must be con- 

 verted into a healthy one by means calculated to subdue excessive irri- 

 tability. The most useful local applications for this purpose are warm . 

 fomentations and poultices, combined with opiates; the gederal treatment 

 to consist of a purgative, succeeded by febrifuges, and the diet to be 

 light, and easy of digestion. 



