500 DISEASES OF ‘THE HORSE. 
ABSCESSES. 
These consist of accumulations of pus within circumscribed walls, 
at different parts of the body, and may be classed as acute and cold 
or chronic abscesses. 
When an abscess occurs about a hair follicle it is called a boil or 
furuncle; when several hair follicles are involved, resulting in the 
formation of more than one exit for the inflammatory products, it is 
called a carbuncle. 
ACUTE ABSCESSES. 
Acute abscesses follow as the result of local inflammation in glands, 
inuscular tissue, or even bones. They are very common in the two 
former. The abscesses most commonly met with in the horse (and 
the ones which will be here described) are those of the. salivary 
glands, occurring during the existence of “strangles,” or “colt dis- 
temper.” The glands behind or under the jaw. are seen to increase 
slowly in size, becoming firm, hard, hot, and painful. At first the 
swelling is uniformly hard and resisting over its entire surface, but 
in a little while becomes soft (fluctuating) at some Boron, mostly 
in os center. From this time on the abscess is said to be “ pointing,” 
or “coming to a head,” which is shown by a small elevated or pro- 
jecting prominence, which at first is dry, but soon becomes moist with 
transuded serum. The hairs over this part loosen and fall off, and in 
a short time the abscess opens, the contents escape, and the cavity 
gradually fills up—heals by granulations. 
Abscesses in muscular tissue are usually the result of bruises or in- 
juries. In all cases in which abscesses are forming we should hurry 
the ripening process by frequent hot fomentations and poultices. 
When they are very tardy in their development a blister over their 
surface is advisable. It is a common rule with surgeons to open an 
abscess as soon as pus can be plainly felt, but this practice can 
scarcely be recommended indiscriminately to owners of stock, since 
this little operation frequently requires an exact knowledge of anat- 
omy. It will usually be found the better plan to encourage the full 
ripening of an abscess and allow it to open-of itself. This is impera- 
tive if the abscess is in the region of joints, etc. When open, we 
must not squeeze the walls of the abscess to any extent. They may 
be very gently pressed with the fingers at first to remove the clots— 
inspissated pus—but after this the orifice is simply to be kept open 
by the introduction of a clean probe, should it be disposed to heal too 
soon. If the opening is at too high a level another should be made 
into the lowest portion of the abscess so as to permit the most com- 
plete drainage. Hot fomentations or poultices are sometimes re- 
quired for a day or two after an abscess has opened, and are particu- 
larly indicated when the base of the abscess is hard and indurated. 
