332 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



TREATMENT — Capillary hemorrhages are often ar- 

 rested by baths of cold or hot water at 50 to 60 degrees C. 

 It is not necessary to resort to perchloride of iron or actual 

 cautery except when other remedies have failed. Compres- 

 sion with absorbent cotton soaked in an astringent solution 

 is generally effectual. 



Large vessels, arteries or veins are seized and twisted 

 with the haemostatic forceps, and their complete occlusion 

 secured with a ligature. When, in consequence of the depth 

 or irregularity of a wound it is impossible to adjust the liga- 

 ture, the forceps may be left tightly fixed to the vessel and 

 removed only after the coagulum is sufficiently consistent 

 to resist the blood pressure. When the hcemorrhage has 

 been sufficient. to endanger life, subcutaneous or intravenous 

 injections of artificial serum (salt solution) are indicated. 



TRAUMATIC EMPHYSEMA. 



Traumatic emphysema is an accident caused by the pass- 

 age of certain quantities of air beneath the skin, or of gas 

 proceeding from the digestive tract. It is frequently noticed 

 in the horse following wounds of the face and trachea, or 

 after solutions of continuity occurring where the subcutane- 

 ous connective tissue is abundant and loosely arranged. In 

 the ox it occurs under the same circumstances, but is also 

 seen as the sequel of pulmonary emphysema, after tapping 

 the rumen, and in certain cases not well determined it is 

 generalized without any certainty as to its origin. In the 

 sheep it is frequent after the bites of dogs. When the wound 

 is inflicted on the neck the trachea is perforated and the air 

 dissects its way over the neck, shoulders and front of the 

 chest. In the dog traumatic emphysema is rare. 



SYMPTOMS. — Bouret reported a subject that, in con- 

 sequence of a wound at the elbow, became absolutely mon- 

 strous. The limb, neck, trunk, and head were transformed 



