WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 495 



be treated the same as punctured wounds, i. e., stop the hemorrhage, 

 remove the foreign body if possible, and apply hot fomentations or 

 poultices to the wound until suppuration is fairly established. Anti- 

 septic and disinfectant injections may then be used, Should pus 

 accumulate in the tissues, openings must be made at the most depend- 

 ing parts for its escape. Wounds from shotguns fired close to the 

 animals are serious. They are virtually lacerated and contused 

 wounds. Remove all the shot possible from the wound and treat 

 as directed for contusions. When small shot strike the horse from a 

 distance they stick in the skin or only go through it. The shot grains 

 must be picked out, but as a rule this "peppering" of the skin 

 amounts to but little. 



POISONED WOUNDS. 



These injuries are the result of bites of snakes, rabid dogs, stings of 

 bees, wasps, etc. A single sting is not dangerous, but an animal is 

 often stung by a swarm of insects, when the chief danger occurs from 

 the swelling produced. If stung about the head, the nostrils may be 

 closed as a result of the swelling, causing labored breathing and pos- 

 sibly asphyxiation. Intoxication may be produced by the absorption 

 of this poison and is manifested by staggering gait, spreading of 

 the legs, paralysis of the muscles, difficult respiration, and a rise of 

 temperature. Death may follow in five to ten hours. 



Treatment. — Douse animal with cold water and apply any alkaline 

 liquid, such as soapsuds, bicarbonate of soda, or weak solution of 

 ammonia. Internally give alcohol, ether, or camphor to strengthen 

 the heart. In case of bites by rattlesnakes, moccasin, or other poi- 

 sonous snakes, a painful swelling occurs about the bitten part, which 

 is followed by labored breathing, weakness, retching, fever, and 

 death from collapse. The animal usually recovers if it can be kept 

 alive over the third day. In treating the animal, a tight ligature 

 should be passed about the part above the wound to keep the poison 

 from entering the general circulation. Wash out the wound thor- 

 oughly with antiseptics and then apply a caustic, such as silver 

 nitrate, or burn with a hot instrument. A subcutaneous injection of 

 one-fourth dram of 1 per cent solution of chromic acid above the 

 wound is also beneficial. Cold water may be applied to the wound 

 to combat the inflammation. Bites of rabid dogs produce an infected 

 wound, and the virus of rabies introduced in this manner should be 

 removed or destroyed in the wound. Therefore produce considerable 

 bleeding by incising the wound, wash out thoroughly with 10 per 

 cent solution of zinc chlorid, and then apply caustics or the actual 

 cautery. 



