WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 499 



Treatment. — The preventive treatment consists in avoiding all the 

 influences that tend to disturb the nutrition of the tissues, such as 

 excessive cold or heat or continuous pressure. Gangrene following 

 decubitus may be prevented by using soft bedding and frequently 

 turning the animal from one side to the other. In dry gangrene 

 moist heat in the form of poultices or anointing the tissue with oils 

 and fats will be found beneficial in hastening the dead tissue to 

 slough off. When the outer skin begins to suppurate, it should be 

 removed with a pair of pincers, and the patch treated as an open 

 wound. In moist gangrene the tissue should be thoroughly disin- 

 fected with a 3 per cent solution of compound cresol, or particiilarly 

 an alcoholic tincture of camphor. Continuous irritation with anti- 

 septic fluids prevents the accumulation and absorption of poisonous 

 liquids. Incisions into the dead tissue may be made, and when 

 sloughing commences the tissue should be removed with forceps and 

 the resulting wound treated as in dry gangrene. 



ULCERATION. 



An ulcer is a circumscribed area of necrosis occurring on the skin 

 or mucous membrance and covered with granulation tissue. It is a 

 process of destruction, and when this process is going on faster than 

 regeneration can take place, we have a gnawing, or eating, ulcer. 

 When such an ulcer increases rapidly in size it is termed a phagedenic 

 ulcer. A fungoid ulcer is one in which the bottom of the ulcer pro- 

 jects beyond the edge of the skin. These ulcers secrete milky or 

 bloody- white liquid called ichor. When the ulcer is of an ashen or 

 leaden color, with the bottom and sides formed of dense, hard con- 

 nective tissue, which gives but little discharge and is not sensitive, it 

 is termed callous, torpid, or indolent ulcer. 



Causes. — As in the case of gangrene, disturbances of circulation are 

 among the most frequent causes. A wound to a tissue with slight 

 recuperative power may be followed by ulceration, as in tumors. 

 Certain germs may produce ulcers, as the glanders bacilli, which 

 cause the ulcerations on the nasal septum in glanders. 



Treatment. — This consists in removing the exciting cause at once. 

 The secretions of the ulcer should be washed off with antiseptic solu- 

 tions and the formation of granulation tissues stimulated by antisep- 

 tic salves, such as carbolated vaseline, lead ointment, or by dressings 

 of camphor. Air should be kept from the ulcer by occlusive dress- 

 ings. Where the ulcers are inflamed, warm lead water or lead water 

 and laudanum will be found efficacious. Callous ulcers are best re- 

 moved by a curette, knife, or hot iron and then treated like a common 

 wound. Mechanical irritation should be avoided. 



