WOUNDS 219 



pregnancy this tendency is enormously increased, and it is 

 no uncommon thing to find a cart-mare in this condition, 

 with legs, as the owner terms it, ' as thick as gate-posts.' 

 A prick to the foot, with the lymphatics of the limb in this 

 state, is extremely likelj* to end in septic infection of the 

 leg, for there appears to be no doubt but that invasion of 

 the h^mphatics with septic matter is favoured by a sluggish 

 stream. Also, in the case of a patient in the advanced 

 stages of pregnancy, it must be remembered that, no matter 

 how great may be the need, one is debarred, for obvious 

 reasons, from using the slings. 



Treatment. — In a simjylc case — and b}^ ' simple ' here we 

 mean the case in which the injury is discovered early, and 

 pus has not yet commenced to form — our first duties are to 

 give the wound free drainage, and to maintain it in an 

 aseptic condition. The first of these objects is to be arrived 

 at by paring down the horn in a funnel-shaped fashion 

 over the seat of the prick. It is, perhaps, even better to 

 thin the horn down to the sensitive structures for some 

 little distance round the injury. By this latter method 

 pressure from inflammatory exudate is lessened, and the 

 after-formation of pus, if unfortunate enough to occur, the 

 more readily detected, and the less likely to spread up- 

 wards. The matter of asepsis may then be attended to. 



When the puncture is sufficiently large to admit of it, the 

 antiseptic dressing is best applied by means of the probe. 

 This instrument is thinly wrapped with tow, or other 

 absorbent material, so as to form a small swab. Dipped in 

 a suitable solution (as, for example. Zinc Chloride, Spts. 

 Hydrarg. Perchlor., Carbolic Acid, or any other that 

 suggests itself), the swab is inserted into the prick, and the 

 wound conveniently mopped clean. A further portion of 

 the medicated tow is then pushed partially into the wound, 

 and allowed to remain in position. The foot is subsequently 

 wrapped in a clean bag, and kept free from dirt. This 

 dressing should be repeated twice daily. 



If the prick is in a dangerous position, and deep enough 

 to occasion alarm, our precautions to prevent the formation 



