' 526 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS, 
ipasses along the walls of a wound, made accidentally, is not always 
harmless; the instrument may become infected in passing through the 
wound and inoculate the synovial. It is best to act as if the wound 
was of the most serious nature. How many times the curiosity of the 
practitioner has had for consequence the inflammation of a joint, which 
- could, otherwise, have remained closed. 
The therapeutics of articular wounds and of traumatic arthritis has 
‘varied much with all epochs. In pre-antiseptic times, the great severity 
‘of those wounds has suggested against them the trial of the whole 
_ medico-chirurgical arsenal. Most varying preparations have in turn 
been advocated and thrown aside. 
Old farriers were already divided on the question of the treat- 
ment of wounds of joints. Some, with Solleysel, used cauterization ; 
- others, with Garsault, recommended emollients, 
In the years that followed the publication of the first veterinary 
journals, the physiological doctrine was at its best. To prevent or 
‘ overcome inflammation, abundant bleedings were resorted to, and the 
patient submitted to severe diets; the diseased joints were covered 
with decoctions of marshmallow, flax seed, or populeum ; simple poultices, 
-.or those associated with narcotics, were used. The wounds them- 
“selves were dressed with tincture of aloes, diluted alcohol, camphor- 
ated paste. The advocates of the antiphlogistic method published 
‘their results, and Corroy, Auboyer, Prétot, made comments on the 
“lucky series.” 
For Lecogq, the inflammatory symptoms ought to be treated first by 
- emollients, then the joint be immobilized and the wound dressed with a 
- compressive bandage. He said: “I am incdined to consider the mech- 
anism of the cicatrization of synovial membranes as analogous to that 
which closes blood-vessels when their coats have been divided; a por-, 
tion of the blood coagulates in the opening, adheres to its borders, and | 
in organizing, ends by becoming -part of the divided coats. Com- 
pression, assisting the formation and the sojourn of the clot, must neces- 
sarily hasten the time of the cicatrization.”' If antiphlogistic methods 
- succeeded sometimes, the failures were numerous, and soon were used as 
- objections to it (Renault, Tisserant); and again cases of spontaneous 
" recoveries were recorded, in which nature had done all the work. Still, 
for a long time, poultices were kept in use. They reduce the pain, and 
were supposed to “prevent. inflammation.” We know to-day that their 
hot and moist atmosphere is, on the contrary, most favorable to py- 
‘.ogenous microbes and to infection. 
As early as the beginning of this century, English veterinarians 
* Lecog: Rec. de Med. Vet., 1833, p. 416. 
