WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 493 
to 106° F., the appetite is lost, thirst is present, the horse reeks with 
sweat, and his anxious countenance shows the pain he suffers. He 
may lie down, though mostly he persists in standing, and the oppo- 
site limb becomes greatly swollen from bearing the entire weight 
and strain for so long a time. The wound, which at first appeared so 
insignificant, is now constantly discharging a thin, whitish or yel- 
lowish fluid—joint oil or water, which becomes coagulated about the 
mouth of the wound and adheres to the part in clots like jelly, or 
resembling somewhat the white of an egg. Not infrequently the 
joint opens at different places, discharging at first a thin, bloody fluid 
that soon assumes the character above described. 
Treatment of these wounds is most difficult and unsatisfactory. 
We can do much to prevent this array of symptoms if the case is 
seen early—within the first 24 or 48 hours after the injury; but 
when inflammation of the joint is once fairly established the case 
becomes one of grave tendencies. Whenever a punctured wound of 
a joint is noticed, even though apparently of but small moment, we 
should apply without the least delay a strong cantharides blister over 
the entire joint, being even careful to fill the orifice of the wound 
with the blistering ointment. This treatment is almost always effec- 
tual. It operates to perform a cure in two ways—first, the swelling 
of the skin and tissues underneath it completely closes the wound 
and prevents the ingress of.air; second, by the superficial inflamma- 
tion established it acts to check and abate all deep-seated inflamma- 
tion. In the great majority of instances, if pursued soon after the 
accident, this treatment performs a cure in about one week; but 
should the changes described as occurring later in the joint have 
already taken place, we must then treat by cooling lotions and the 
application to the wound of chlorid of zinc, 10 grains to the ounce 
of water, or a paste made of flour and alum. A bandage is to hold 
these applications in place, which is only to be removed when swell- 
ing of the leg or increasing febrile symptoms demand it. In the 
treatment of open joints our chief aim must be to close the orifice as 
soon as possible. For this reason repeated probing or even injec- 
tions are contraindicated. The only probing of an open joint that 
is to be sanctioned is on our first visit, when we should carefully 
examine the wound for foreign bodies or dirt, and after removing 
them the probe must not again be used. The medicines used to 
coagulate the synovial discharge are best simply applied to the sur- 
face of the wound, on pledgets of tow, and held in place by band- 
ages. Internal treatment is also indicated in those cases of open 
joints in which the suffering is great. At first we should administer 
a light physic and follow this up with sedatives and anodynés, as 
directed for contused wounds. Later, however, we should give qui- 
nin or salicylic acid in 1-dram doses two or three times a day. 
