PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 333 



into shapeless objects, and completely obstructed the out- 

 lines of the skeleton. A similar case in a mule is reported 

 by Pellegrin, from a wound in the same region, in which the 

 emphysema extended over the lower third of the neck, the 

 lower part of the shoulder and breast and backward over the 

 lower third of the ribs as far as the twelfth. The same 

 writer reports another case in a "heavy" mare^ in which the 

 obstruction covered the neck, the two shoulders, and the 

 ribs, resulting from a fracture of a rib and a wound of the 

 lung. 



PROGNOSIS and, TREATMENT— Traumatic emphy- 

 sema is not generally serious, as air may remain in the sul)- 

 cutaneous connective tissue without any serious detriment 

 to the organism, and besides, unless generalized, it yields to 

 appropriate treatment. 



Scarifications must be avoided as far as possible. Efforts 

 must be made to remove the air through the original open- 

 ing by pressure and massage. If the entrance wound is 

 small it may be enlarged. When, with gas, there are irri- 

 tating substances, such as alimentary matter for example, 

 scarification and disinfection of the cavities so formed, may 

 be resorted to to complete the procedure. 



CICATRICES OF THE SKIN-CUTANEOUS 



SCARS. 



The word "cicatrix" or "scar" applies to the new forma- 

 tion that succeeds a loss of substance or a breach of contin- 

 uity. All of the tissues, muscles, tendons, bones, etc., are 

 capable of forming scars, but in this article only cutaneous 

 scars will be considered. 



SYMPTOMS. — As soon as the tissues are divided by a 

 traumatism the organism becomes occupied with the repair 

 of the breach. In order to fill the gap caused by the loss of 

 substance the afifected tissues build up flesh vegetations 



