WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 
By Cu. B. MicuHenrr, V. 8. 
[Revised by John R. Mobler, V. M. D., A. M.J 
DESCRIPTION OF WOUNDS. 
A wound is.an injury to any part of the body involving a solution 
of continuity or disruption of the affected parts and is caused by 
violence, with or without laceration of the skin. In accordance with 
this definition we have the following varieties of wounds: Incised, 
punctured, contused, lacerated, gunshot, and poisoned. They may 
further be classified as superficial, deep, or penetrating, and also as 
unclean, if hair, dirt, or splinters of wood are present; as infected 
when contaminated with germs, and as aseptic if the wound does not 
contain germs. 
An incised wound is a simple cut made with a sharp body, like a 
knife, producing merely a division of the tissues. The duller the 
body the more force is required, the more tissues destroyed, and a 
greater time will be required for healing. In a cut wound the edges 
are even and definite, while those of a lacerated wound are irregular 
-and torn. Three conditions are present as a result of an incised 
wound: (1) Pain, (2) hemorrhage, (3) gaping of the wound. The 
first pain is due to the crushing and tearing of the nerve fibers. In 
using a sharp knife and by cutting quickly, the animal suffers less 
pain and healing occurs more rapidly. The secondary pain is usually 
due to the action of the air and inflammatory processes. When air 
is kept from the wound pain ceases soon after the lesion is produced. 
Hemorrhage is absent only in wounds of nonvascular tissues, as the 
cornea of the eye, the cartilage of joints, and other similar struc- 
tures. Bleeding may be from the arteries, veins, or capillaries. In 
the last form of bleeding the blood oozes from the part in drops. 
Hemorrhage from the veins is dark red and issues in a steady stream 
without spurting. In arterial bleeding the blood is bright red and 
spurts with each heart beat. This latter variety of hemorrhage is 
the most dangerous, and should be stopped at once before attempting 
any further treatment. Bleeding from small veins and capillaries 
ceases in a short time spontaneously, while larger vessels, especially 
arteries, require some form of treatment to cause complete stoppage 
of the hemorrhage. 
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