276 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



sepsis may supervene unobserved. The swelling and pain 

 that accompany sepsis may be trivial, and thus remain un- 

 noticed beneath the bandage. At the end of six to eight 

 days the sutures are removed and the dressing renewed for 

 three to four days longer, when cicatrization will be found 

 to be complete. Wounds of this same character, located 

 where bandages can not be applied, are protected with plas- 

 tic dressings, — clay or collodion. 



If in the course of the treatment signs of sepsis appear, 

 antiseptic baths, more potent dry antiseptics, removal of the 

 sutures, or irrigations may, each or all, become necessary 

 according to the seriousness of the infection. The signs 

 which give warning as to complications of this character 

 are unaccouxitable swelling, pain out of proportion to the 

 character of the wound, too copious secretion, and systemic 

 disturbances. 



For sutured wounds requiring drainage an entirely dif- 

 ferent course is pursued. Wraps that will gather the secre- 

 tions, unless changed very frequently, are harmful. They 

 are unnecessary. The sutures themselves may be covered 

 with clay or collodion, but the drainage orifice must be left 

 unobstructed after the second or third day, when the dis- 

 charge becomes copious. Irrigations carefully injected are 

 admissible, but they must never disturb the formation of 

 the new uniting tissue along the edges of the sutured por- 

 tion. The plastic dressing on the sutures is repaired as 

 required. If signs of suppuration appear between the sut- 

 ures, the dressing is substituted with a coating of idoform 

 or some other active antiseptic powder. 



The sutures are removed after six to seven days, at 

 which time the stitches will be found to be of no further 

 service. Either there is a safe union, or else a separation 

 of the edges from stitch necrosis. If the skin has united the 

 traumatic cavity will soon fill and terminate the healing 



