NAVEL ILL. 519 



The comfort of our little patient must be studied under all cir- 

 cumstances. If tlie weather be at all cold, the patient should be 

 covered by a warm sheet. Should the foal have any difl&culty in 

 rising from the recumbent position, an attendant should be told off 

 to assist it to rise, and see that it is regularly fed. It is only in 

 extreme cases that the animal refuses to suck its dam. During 

 the fine weather, and especially if the ground is dry, such a patient 

 is always the better of a little sunshine, but on no account must it 

 be left out during extreme heat, as in this state it is very liable to 

 sunstroke. The best food for the mare is grass, which during the 

 day she can generally have. 



The inflamed joint or joints should be rubbed with an ointment 

 of biniodide of mercury (1 to 8 of lard or vaseline), which, when 

 applied to the skin, appears to have a well-marked antiseptic action 

 on tlie underlying tissues. An inflamed joint should on no account 

 be bathed with warm water, fomented, or poulticed ; because the 

 application of moist heat would be the best possible means for 

 promoting the development of the infective microbes, which are the 

 cause of the local and general disturbance. 



Formic aldehyde (p. 622) has been very successfully applied in 

 this disease. Inject subcutaneously 40 minims (f drachm) of an 

 8 per cent, solution (p. 644) over the affected joint every other day 

 for a fortnight or so ; and give internally J drachm of a 4 per cent, 

 solution in 2 oz. of water, three times a day. 



The open navel-string should not be ligatured, because that 

 operation is generally followed by increased inflammation of the 

 part, and by aggravation of the other symptoms, apparently on 

 account of this outlet for deleterious products becoming blocked 

 up. If the navel-string has been ligatured, and is in an inflamed 

 state, the ligature should be removed without delay. 



Very good results have been obtained in getting the open 

 urachus to close in a healthy manner by applying a 1 to 4 solution 

 of formalin (p. 622) in water, and injecting a little of the solution 

 into the opening. Or treat the wound with a water solution of 

 chinosol (1 grain to 1 oz.), or creolin (1 drachm to 2J oz.), inject a 

 little into the open navel two or three times a day, gnd apply tanno- 

 form or iodoform. 



The following is a method of treating inflamed joints in this 

 disease : Cast the foal, which is done by two men, one on each 

 side, seizing it round the neck with one hand each, and under the 

 flank with the other hand. On no account should a rope be used 

 to cast foals. When the anim'al is secured, clip the hair with a 

 pair of curved scissors over the enlarged joints, wash well with 

 methylated spirits of wine, and then paint in a liberal manner 

 with liniment of iodine. When one layer of the iodine is dry, coat 



