426 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
omitted. In our opinion it constitutes the very essence of 
the rationality of the treatment. 
(b) Curative.—It may happen, however, and often does, 
that this first injection of an antiseptic is unsuccessful in 
preventing organismal infection of the wound. In this 
case grave constitutional disturbance and other untoward 
symptoms such as we have already described quickly make 
their appearance. 
The animal should now be placed in slings and prepara- 
tions made for actively treating the wound with antiseptics. 
Whether we fail or not, we have the satisfaction of knowing 
that we have given to the patient the best and the only 
chance of recovery. 
It should be remembered, however, and should be pointed 
out to the owner, that with purulent arthritis fully developed, 
with the grave constitutional changes it occasions, and with 
the ever-present danger of a general septic invasion of the 
blood-stream, that the human surgeon under such circum- 
stances offers to his patient the alternatives of amputation 
or probable death. With us no such alternative is possible. 
It is either return the joint to some semblance of its former 
usefulness, or destroy the patient. 
In this case we advise the injection of the original wound, 
and also such fistulous openings as may have formed, 
with the 1 in 1,000 sublimate solution. Also, in order 
to avoid the sometimes abortive attempts of the antiseptic 
pad, to maintain a condition of asepsis around the wound, 
we advise the continual soaking of the whole foot in a cold 
antiseptic bath. This may be either carbolic acid 1 in 20, or 
—what is less volatile, perhaps more effectual, and certainly 
more economical—perchloride of mercury 1 in 1,000. 
Tt has been our good fortune, even when we have seen 
the foot almost detached from the limb by the devastating 
inroads of the pus, to see the suppurative process by this 
means gradually overcome, a reparative anchylosis set in, 
and the animal restored to good health and usefulness, if 
not to soundness. 
Once the suppurative process is checked and anchylosis 
