WOUNDS. 27 
Poisoned wounds include not only wounds which are rendered poisonous 
when the injury occurs, but also wounds and scratches originally free from 
poison but which have been subsequently poisoned by contact with virulent 
matters. Wounds from the bites and stings of healthy animals and insects, 
and others from diseased animals, all properly belong on the list of poisonous 
wounds. 
Bites inflicted by swine, the fox, skunk, and a few other animals should be 
quite as carefully treated as those of dogs thought to be rabid, because such 
wounds are often highly poisonous. 
To at once cause a wound made by the teeth of an animal, that can possibly 
excite serious trouble, to bleed freely is one of the wisest steps, for then the 
poison will be much diluted, if not washed entirely away. Therefore in all cases 
in which such a wound is small and deep, as when caused by a single tooth, it 
is advisable to use the knife and make two quite long and deep cuts, and have 
the same cross each other. The next essential, which must never be delayed 
longer than absolutely necessary, is to cauterize the wound. As a rule the 
most convenient means is a hot iron. When this is resorted to, the iron wire, 
rod, or whatever is used, should be red hot, or at a white heat; for the applica- 
tion of such is really less painful than that of an iron merely “black-hot.” 
Among other caustics are carbolic acid crystals, the nitrate of silver, nitric and 
sulphuric acids, and caustic potassa. 
Where a bite has been inflicted by a dog strongly suspected of being rabid, 
and it is on one of the extremities, even before making the free incisions it were 
best to ligate above the bite, by means of a strap, rope, twisted handkerchief, or 
anything of the sort, to prevent the poison in the wound from entering circula- 
tion. The ligature, however, must be applied within a few minutes, possibly 
two or three, after the bite, otherwise it cannot be effectual. It must also be 
drawn very tightly indeed, — almost cut into the flesh. 
A wound may have been doing well and suddenly become poisonous. All 
things considered, the danger of such change is the greatest where filth abounds 
and neglect has been exhibited. The indications of it are very great increase in 
the inflammation and swelling ; and instead of being of a bright, healthy red color, 
the wound is generally somewhat purplish. The tissues beneath and surround- 
ing it are also much more swollen or tumefied. Surgical assistance is then 
imperative, for likely free incisions must be a part of the treatment to be 
applied. 
Dogs sometimes suffer so severely from stings of bees or wasps that they are 
driven frantic, and even their lives endangered. One of the simplest and most 
convenient remedies is mud; and the victim should be promptly plastered with 
that, or buried up to his neck in it. Spirit of hartshorn — ammonia — also 
brings speedy relief when applied to the stung parts. 
Dogs appear to be even more fortunate than man in escaping snake-bites, 
