443 



lulled over the scalded skin. Burns are -well treated by liniment made 

 of equal parts of lime water and linseed oil (Carron oil). For both 

 kinds of injuries, cosmoliue ten parts, and carbolic acid, one part, proves 

 an excellent dressing. Blisters should be pricked with a needle and 

 emptied to prevent their rupture and the exposure of the raw surface. 

 Severe burns, leading to destruction of very extensive patches of 

 skin, usually render a horse useless b}^ reason of the contraction of the 

 resulting scar, hence the treatment of such is rarely advisable, unless 

 followed by a skillful plastic operation. In other cases a skillful trans- 

 planting of epidermis, shaved from a healthy surface with a sharp 

 razor, will secure the healing of a granulating wound which has proved 

 obstinate to all other measures. In cases of burns with mineral acids 

 (sulphuric, nitric or hydrochloric) avoid water, as that will develop 

 heat, and cover the surface with dry whiting or chalk, and only when 

 effervescence has ceased wash off with water. When the caustic has 

 been a salt (copperas, bluestone, chloride of zinc, etc.) apply lime 

 water or white of egg. If the irritant has been caustic potash, soda or 

 ammonia, vinegar should be the first application. If sores result they 

 may be treated like ordinary wounds. 



WOUNDS OF THE SKIN. 



These are divided into incised {clean cut) icounds, lacerated {torn) 

 wounds, and contused (bruised) and punctured wounds. 



Incised wounds are the simplest, and the sharper the instrument and 

 the cleaner the cut the greater the hope of speedy healing. Something, 

 however, depends on the seat and direction of the wound ; thus one 

 running from before backward on the body, or from above downward 

 in the limb, will not tend to be drawn open and gape as would one run- 

 ning transversely on the body or limb. Again a wound on a joint and 

 running across the limb will gape when the joint is bent. Again, a 

 clean cut wound which has not been exposed to the air, and which 

 lodges no foreign body and no septic nor infecting germ, will heal read- 

 ily by simple adhesion, whereas those that have been exposed and con- 

 tain matter foreign to the tissues will have healing delayed or pre- 

 vented by the disturbing action of such bodies. 



Healing in wounds may be said to take place by these modes : 



(1) By primary adhesion, in which case the spherical {embryonic) 

 cells, and the stellate connective tissue cells (placoids) thrown out on 

 the surface of the wound, rapidly multiply and form a bond of union 

 between the divided lips. Union by this means may be affected within 

 twenty-four hours after the wound has been inflicted. Of all domestic 

 animals, however, the horse is the least prone to such union, being more 

 disposed to the formation of pus. 



(2) By granulation, which is the common form of healing in raw, ex- 

 posed sores, in those containing foreign bodies and septic and infecting 

 ferments j also in torn and contused wounds. In ths form the wound 



