90 WOUNDS AND BKUISES. 



SYMPTOMS. — ^Heat, swelling, with more or less fever and pain. 

 In two or three days an abscess may appear. Sometimes, the part 

 is wounded rather than bruised. 



TREATMENT. — If pus be present, free vent should be given to 

 it by the knife, the part bathed and afterwards tr&ated with an 

 antiseptic (p. 67). In the case of a severe blow which may be 

 followed by an abscess, it is well to first give a purgative; keep 

 the animal on laxative food (unless he is in a debilitated state) ; 

 and foment the part with warm water repeatedly before opening. 

 If, after some days, when all heat and inflammation have ceased, 

 the swelling feels as if it contains fluid, open it by a horizontal 

 incision at its lowest point — so as to allow the hair to grow over 

 the subsequent scar — then apply an antiseptic (tannoform, for 

 instance), and bandage with cotton wadding as in sprain (p. 45), 

 so as to induce absorption by pressure. Sometimes, even after 

 the sac has been opened, it becomes hard from the exudation 

 becoming organised. In order to break up this deposit, an 

 increased supply of blood may be determined to the part by 

 repeatedly blistering it with biniodide of mercury ointment (1 to 

 8 of lard). A seton is not admissible, for it is liable to thicken 

 the skin and thus leave a blemish. 



Legal Aspect of Cutting. 



Under this heading may be included speedy cutting, brushing, 

 tread, interfering, and over-reaching. The case of Dickinson v. 

 Follett, Exeter, 25th July, 1833 (" Moody and Robinson's Reports," 

 vol. 2, p. 299) is the only one found on this point, and is as 

 follows : — " The warranty was admitted. The horse had been kept 

 and used by the plaintiff as a carriage horse (for which purpose he 

 was bought) about a month, and was then tendered to be returned 

 as unsound. It was admitted that the horse was unsound at that 

 time, but there was conflicting evidence whether the unsoundness 

 existed at the time of the sale, or whether it arose from some 

 subsequent cause ; and, on the other hand, a veterinary surgeon, 

 called for the defendant, after giving his opinion that the lameness 

 arose from a recent injury, stated also, that the horse was so ill- 

 formed, from turning out one of its fore legs, as to be incapable of 

 work to any extent without cutting, so as to produce lameness. 



" Follett, in his reply, contended, that at all events the horse was 

 unsound from this malformation; that a horse so ill-formed as to 

 be incapable of the ordinary usefulness of a horse was unsound. 



" Anderson, J., in summing up, said that the horse could not be 

 unsound in law, merely from badness of shape. As long as he was 



