Skin Diseases. 381 



starch. Iodized collodion too is often of service. If mat- 

 ter has actually formed it should be let out with the lancet, 

 the wound being dressed with a solution of muriate of 

 iron to prevent unhealthy action. 



WOUNDS. 



These are divided into simple dean cuts (incised), stabs, 

 pricks and punctures (punctured), bruised or aruslwd (con- 

 tused) and torn (lacerated). Glean cuts often heal readily 

 when the edges are brought together accurately and re- 

 tained so. But such union by adhesion is most probable 

 in strong, healthy, well-conditioned animals, and least so 

 in the weak, poor and diseased. In fowls it is almost in 

 variable, in sunns nearly equally so, in dogs, cattle and 

 sJieep there is stiU a strong tendency to adhesion, while in 

 Jiorses all wounds readily form matter and primary adhe- 

 sion throughout is exceptional. Bleeding should be 

 checked, (see wounds of arteries, etc.,) clots washed off 

 with a stream of tepid water, foreign objects carefully re- 

 moved with fingers or forceps and the wound closed with 

 as little exposure as possible. The edges may be stitched 

 together by means of a curved flat needle with silk or 

 linen, well waxed or steeped in a weak solution of carbolic 

 acid, or better, with catgut which has been steeped for a 

 month in oil and carbolic acid, or with silver or other 

 metallic wire. It may be closed by a continuous stitch 

 as in sewing a glove, when adhesion is to be expected, or 

 by separate stitches a half to three-fourths of an inch 

 apaii when primary union is more doubtful. To secure 

 uniform approximation of the edges or pressure on the 

 different parts, the stitches may be passed round a quill 

 placed on each lip of the wound (quilled suture). Or pins 

 may be passed through the lips at suitable distances and 

 a few fibres of tow twisted around each like the figure 8. 

 Small wounds may have their edges shaved and layer 

 after layer of coUodion appUed until the covering is strong 

 enough to hold them together. The use of a weak solution 



