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. 
