148 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
Hemorrhage thus stimulated by the water flow is advantageous; the 
blood oozing out cleans the wound and carries with it the noxious ele- 
ments. It is evident that the chances of success depend very much 
upon the length of time that has elapsed since the insertion of the 
virus. When this has had time to spread in the tissues, washing, 
squeezing and hemorrhage are no longer to be trusted. The only safe 
way—and it is sufficient, if the infectious elements are still in the parts 
surrounding the wound, if the circulating blood has not already scat- 
tered them in the organism, or if the lymphatic circulation has not car- 
ried them further—is the free destruction of the peritraumatic zone 
by caustics and the red-hot iron. It makes no difference what agent is 
used, providing it be powerful and applied immediately. Heated to a 
white heat, the cautery ‘‘ roasts” the wound, penetrates its borders, 
reaches the anfructuosities, and goes on even to the healthy structures. 
Liquid caustics—nitric, muriatic and sulphuric acid, chloride of zinc 
and chloride of antimony—destroy also the entire infected layer and 
the suspected zone. It is sometimes necessary to make several deep 
eschars, and one should not hesitate, since success depends upon it. 
Let us add that a late energetic interference is not always barren of re- 
sults. Many times the red-hot iron, applied several hours after the 
deposit of the virus, has prevented anthrax infection (Davanie, Rodet). 
In the same way cauterization of a rabid wound, one hour after the 
bite, has been beneficial. Ammonia, nitrate of silver and several other 
light caustics, recommended in olden times, are absolutely useless, As 
for the so-called specific antidotes, secret remedies and mystic prac- 
tices, only ignoramuses have faith in them. 
VIII. 
GRANULAR WOUNDS. 
Granular wounds, also known as granular dermitis, summer wounds, 
are frequent in warm climates, quite common in the meridional coun- 
tries of Europe and the south of France, but rare in our latitude and 
altogether exceptional in Northern regions. Sometimes they appear 
‘suddenly and seem to be the result of the action of zematodes (Rivolta) 
which reach the dermis, by ways still unknown, and, settling there, pro- 
duce a vegetating dermatitis with peculiar characteristics; at others 
they constitute a secondary affection, complicating exposed traumatic 
lesions (wounds, sero-sanguineous collections, cysts, open abscesses). 
Their principal attributes are, a protruding granulation, which covers 
the entire diseased surface; also caseous or cretaceous granulations, 
round, angular or irregular and of a yellowish-gray color; and a great 
itching, which induces constant rubbing. 
