278 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



the side of the stall, by lying upon it, by flexing a wounded 

 limb, or by moving about, the large animals always more 

 or less mechanically disturb their traumas. In the same 

 manner they accumulate dirt upon them. The protection 

 against such accidents is never perfect. Animals cannot 

 be placed in permanent decumbency, and their wounded 

 arms cannot be placed in slings. The best expedient here is 

 to keep the horse or ox in the standing position. The horse 

 may be tied short, tied on the pillar reins or even placed in 

 slings. In the standing position a wounded limb may be 

 immobilized with bandages, wounds of the body can be 

 kept from coming into contact with the stall, and the floor, 

 and wounds of the head can be prevented from touching 

 the manger. In the small animals wounds on the body or 

 limbs can be more perfectly protected by wraps which en- 

 circle the body or which immobilize a limb. 



Wounds in the course of healing are less liable to be- 

 come infected if left alone than when their care is left to the 

 hostler, muleteer, shepherd or cow man. Wound treat- 

 ment requires the adoption of special manipulation that the 

 ignorant layman cannot comprehend and will not enforce. 

 The stable syringe in the hands of the stable man is sure 

 to convey infection. Allowing the hostler to wash a wound, 

 to irrigate it or to dress it in any way, is an error in veter- 

 inary wound treatment. 



PRACTICAL ASEPSIS. 



The term "practical asepsis" is appropriate in veterin- 

 ary surgery because of the existence of certain inimical 

 conditions which cannot be ignored. Everything around 

 a veterinary surgical operation is abominably filthy, — germ 

 ridden. The veterinary surgeon must actually "wade 

 through germs" in his surgical work, and the magnitude of 

 the precautions necessary to effectually cope with the situa- 



