TRAUMATIC ARTHRITIS. 543: 
lameness lasted a long time, “on account of the hard swelling which:. 
surrounded the diseased region.” 
With recent wounds, disinfection and an antiseptic dressing constitute~ 
the choicest treatment. When there is arthritis, it is often complicated. . 
with tendinous, ligamentous or cartilaginous necrosis. After enlarging: 
the wound, continued irrigation. or antiseptics should be used. 
Ankylosis is a termination, less unfavorable than to other joints, on 
account of the limited motions which the arthrodia performs; but it jis . 
often accompanied with voluminous periostitis, which, later on, imposes . 
neurotomy. ii 
The articulation of the foot, though protected by the superior bor- - 
der of the wall, is one of those where traumatic lesions are most . 
frequently observed. In days gone by, when cartilaginous quittor was . 
operated by the entire extirpation of the fibro cartilage, it frequently 
happened that the lateral cul-de-sac of the articular synovial was open. 
Already in 1828, Pauleau spoke of the relative benignity of those - 
wounds of the joint of the foot. Vatel has several times opened it on 
purpose, without observing the slightest accident; the animals Yecov- - 
ered quickly and as well as those in which the synovial was respected. 
However, the rule is not without exception. With well-made antisepsy, 
the opening of the articular synovial during the operation for quittor is .. 
still less dangerous than before. A thorough washing of the wound 
with the solution of Van Swieten and an iodoformed dressing prevent 
all complication. Considerably more serious is the prognosis, when the 
joint has been perforated with a dirty infected instrument or when its . 
opening is due to the mortification of peri-articular tissues (cracks, 
quittor, complicated nails in the foot). Then, almost always, the joint is. . 
invaded by suppurative inflammation, ordinarily ending by ankylosis. 
Our publications contain, however, examples of rapid recovery of © 
those lesions, which seemed to imply a fatal termination. Pauleau . 
(1829), i in one case of articular fistula, situated in front of the coronet, 
used first ‘“‘antiphlogistic means, then thinned out the hoof covering the. 
diseased tissues, and made a camphorated dressing with pads dampened 
with tincture of aloes. Six days later the synovial discharge had 
stopped; shortly after, recovery was complete. Mercier has related two . 
recoveries of pedal arthritis with Rabel water. In the first, the articu--. 
lation was the seat of high inflammation, the febrile reaction was great, 
purulent synovial discharge took place from the fistula; a first dressing-- 
gave no result, the eleventh day Rabel water began to be used; in ten. 
days healing was completed; the joint kept the freedom of all its. 
motions. In the second case the horse had a nail in the foot, which, . 
according to the author, involved positively (?) the phalangeal joint: 
