Wounds of the Urethra. 265 



Treatment. Dilute the urine. Give pure water to driuk at 

 will, or flaxseed gruel, or gum or barley water. Alkaline car- 

 bonates. In the early stage foment and use injection of potassium 

 permanganate (2 grs. to i oz.). I^ater may be used more 

 astringent agents (boric acid i : 100, zinc sulphate i : 100, lead 

 acetate i : 100, potass chlorate 3 : 100. In the presence of great 

 pain cocaine muriate 2 : 100). There is danger of stricture from 

 the stronger astringents or caustics in the early stages before sup- 

 puration. To complete the cure give copiaba, buchu, resin, or 

 essence of turpentine. 



WOUNDS OF THE URETHRA. 



Acual wounds occur in surgical operations, or accidentally as 

 by shafts, poles, forks, hooks, bites, etc, , or from calculus or a 

 catheter forced into a false route. An arrested or slowly moving 

 calculus has been known to induce several perforating ulcers 

 causing infiltration of urine and infecting germs into the connec- 

 tive tissue. This determines rapidly increasing oedematous fluctu- 

 ating tumors. Gangrene and septic intoxication are common re- 

 sults, especially in cattle. 



I^ongitudinal wounds keep more open and heal more readily 

 than transverse wounds, probably because the circular muscular 

 fibres in contracting, pull the edges apart and counteract stricture, 

 the breach being filled up by granulations. The perineal wound 

 in lithotomy will heal thus in 20 days, while that made in ampu- 

 tation of the penis is exceedingly liable to circular contraction 

 and stricture or occlusion. 



Contusions of the perineum, may cause lacerations of the urethra 

 and haemorrhages, with bloody discharge or sanguineous swelling. 



Treatment. Will vary. Calculi must be diagnosed and removed. 

 Breach of the walls of the urethra may necessitate frequent 

 catheterization or, better, the wearing of a catheter. Escape of 

 urine into the connective tissue should be met by a counter open- 

 ing in the skin to drain the part and allow free antisepsis. Simi- 

 lar resorts are required for urinary infiltration, accompanied by 

 antiseptic injection subcutem. Abscesses must be located, punc- 

 tured with trochar and cannula, evacuated and injected anti- 

 septically. 



