WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



By CH. B. MICHENER, V. S., 



Professor of Cattle Fatholoqn and Obstetrics at the New Yorlc College of Veterinary Sur- 

 geons, Inspector of the Bureau of Animal Industry, etc. 



Wounds are of different kinds, and are classified as incised, lacerated^ 

 contused, punctured, and gunshot. 



An incised wound, or cut, is made witli some sliarp body. The edges 

 of the wound are smooth, as though cut with a knife. These wounds 

 are the simplest we are called upon to treat. If they occur in fleshy 

 parts, if blood-vessels, tendons, or joints are not injured, they soon re- 

 cover and often without any treatment whatever. When bleeding to 

 any considerable extent follows, and this is more likely to occur from 

 incised than lacerated or contused wounds, we must first of all stop the 

 flow of blood before attempting to close the wound itself or apply any 

 other treatment. Hemorrhage may take place from either arteries or 

 veius. If from arteries, the blood is bright red or scarlet in color, and 

 flows in jerks or jets ; if from veins, it is darker in color and the flow is 

 regular. Bleeding from large vessels may be stopped by compress ban- 

 dages, torsion, hot iron, and ligatures. 



By bandages.— If the blood is from an artery, the pressure should be 

 applied between the wound and the center of circulation, i. e., towards 

 the body ; if from a vein, toward the extremities. Torsion is to be ap- 

 plied by the artery forceps grasping the divided vessel and twisting ifc 

 the proper number of times. The hot iron (budding iron) may also be 

 used to sear the end of a blood vessel and thus stop bleetling. Of all 

 means, however, employed to stop the flow of blood from a large vessel 

 a ligature is the best. The divided end of the artery or vein is to be 

 caught up and firmly tied about one-half inch from its division. Should 

 profuse bleeding occur from the incision of a great number of small ves- 

 sels, it is best stopped by compresses moistened with the tincture of the 

 chloride of iron or other astringents. Any moderately tight bandage 

 of oakum, tow, cob-webs, etc., will stop the hemorrhage, often without 

 the medicaments referred to. 



When we have controlled the bleeding our next step is to cleanse the 

 wound. This is to be accomplished by allowing warm water to flow or 



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