196 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



The bleeding leg or foot is promptly met by the simple ap- 

 plication of a taut bandage, that is allowed to remain un- 

 disturbed for several hours, or even more. Three to sia 

 hours of bandage compression is usually sufficient to con- 

 trol even a serious hjemorrhage of the metacarpals, digitals, 

 plantars or their radicles. A firm wad of cotton or oakum 

 previously soaked in Monsel's solution, placed directly upon 

 the wound before applying the bandage, is serviceable. In 

 locations where bandages cannot be applied, compression 

 may be advantageously applied by wadding the traumatic 

 cavity with cotton, gauze, oakum, etc., and then retaining 

 by suturing the wound tightly over it. This method is fre- 

 quently used in dealing with the bleeding fistula, quittor, 

 poll-evil, or tumor just operated upon. It always effectually 

 arrests the outward flow of blood, but may prove rather 

 disastrous by forcing the flow inward and in every direction 

 from the wound, beneath the skin and between the layers 

 of muscle, often carrying along septic matter that dissem- 

 inates the disease over a greater area than before the opera- 

 tion. Abscesses near the sternum have resulted from pack- 

 ing a bleeding fistulse of the withers, and paralysis has fol- 

 lowed pressure of the cord by blood flowing into a closed' 

 poll-evil wound. 



2nd. By Indirect Compression (the Tourniquet.) — 

 Pressure above the bleeding wound often constitutes a con- 

 venient method of coping with htemorrhage. It is especial- 

 ly valuable as a temporary expedient to withhold the flow of 

 blood during surgical manipulations. In amputations it is 

 indispensable. The rubber tourniquet applied sufficiently 

 taut to prevent the flow of blood, may, if allowed to remain 

 several hours, permanently prevent haemorrhage in an am- 

 putated stump, but the method is never certain unless, at 

 least the principal vessels have been searched out and ligat- 

 ed. In the amputation of the tails of horses by the dove-tail 



