BARBED WIRE CUTS 483 



the pincers. Especial pains are taken to invade every part 

 detached. 



Third Step. — The denuded surface is now examined for 

 earth, cinders, sand, dirt, or hairs that may have been ground 

 into the tissue at the time of the accident. These are man- 

 aged by dissecting away the tissues containing them, as they 

 can not be otherwise dislodged or rendered innocuous. This 

 mechanical disinfection must be thorough, even though the 

 whole surface must be shaved off with the scalpel. This dis- 

 section may be made more effectual by employing a stream 

 of water from the fountain syringe to wash off the shreds 

 and dirt as fast as they are dissected away. 



Fourth Step. — The surface is submitted to a prolonged 

 irrigation with mercuric chloride as a final disinfection, and 

 then bound up in cotton and bandage soaked in the same so- 

 lution. 



AFTER-CARE. — The dressing is removed in twenty- 

 four hours and the wound treated to a liberal dusting of iod- 

 oform daily until amply protected against infection by the 

 new horn, which develops rapidly where the genetic tissues 

 have not been destroyed. Where these have been destroyed 

 the granulations will require the application of astringents 

 to prevent excessive growth. 



Barbed Wire Cuts.- 



The phrase "barbed-wire cuts" is quite generally used 

 by American veterinarians and stockmen when referring to 

 lacerated wounds sustained on barbed-wire fences. These 

 wounds possess certain uniform characteristics as to cause, 

 location and physiognomy that deserve a nosological consid- 

 eration, and while the name applied to them is admittedly 

 ordinary it has been consecrated by usage and its appro- 

 priateness cannot be disputed. 



Whilst lacerations from barbed-wire fences may be sus- 

 tained at various parts of the body, there is a surprising 

 analogy in the four points of predilection at which they are 

 usually found. Named in the order of frequency these loca- 

 tions are : (i) In the region of the fore heels; (2) In the 

 flexion surface of the hock; (3) In the pectoral region; 

 and (4) In the anterior surface of the forearm. 



1. In the Region of the Heels. — These wounds are sus- 

 tained by the horse rearing or striking into the fence, gen- 

 erally while rollicking with animals in the adjacent pasture, 

 The foot usually is caught in the second or third wire from 



