WOUNDS. 431 
shock, than to wait until a morbid sensibility is provoked. Always en- 
large the opening; do this in the foot by cutting away the horn of the 
sole around the small puncture left by the nail. When the soft parts are 
penetrated, probe the wound first; then, if possible, insert a knife to the 
bottom of the puncture, and, with the edge downward, draw it forth. 
By this means a wound resembling a subverted < will be instituted. It 
will be narrowest toward the extremity, and widest at the mouth. A 
free opening affords a ready egress for all sloughs and pus. It materi- 
ally aids the healing process, and effectually prevents the establishment 
of sinuses; while the clean incision left by the knife is of small import, 
when taken into consideration with the other consequences of a punc- 
tured wound. 
Support the animal if necessary, or regulate the food by the symptoms. 
A contused wound, when slight, may be rubbed with the iodide of 
lead ointment, one drachm of the active agent to the ounce of lard; 
when all enlargement will sometimes subside, and the effused blood may 
be absorbed. However, the horse commonly receives injuries of magni- 
tude. In the last case, take a sharp knife and draw it along the entire 
length of the swelling. Make a long gash, only through the integument, 
at every eighth inch, and be careful to carry the knife through the integ- 
ument, or to the lowest portion of the detached skin. Any sac that 
may be left is certain to retain corruption, and may produce fearful after- 
consequences. The attendant measures consist in bathing the contusion 
with a lotion composed of chloride of zinc, one grain, water, one ounce, 
and diminishing the food or supporting the body as nature demands such 
treatment. 
The after-treatment of all injuries consists in keeping any external 
orifices open till all sloughs and pus have disappeared. In surgery, a 
large and depending opening, by means of which the interior may drain, 
is always to be preserved, and the knife, to this end, may be employed 
so often as the healing process threatens to prematurely close the 
wound. 
Formerly it was the practice to bleed after every injury; this was done 
to prevent fever. However, observation has shown that the vital powers 
are more often weakened than increased by the shock attendant on severe 
accidents. Whenever the contrary happens, it is far better to lower the 
pulse by repeated doses of aconite, than to abstract that which will sub- 
sequently be necessary to repair injury. 
It was also once the custom to fill wounds with tents or lumps of tow, 
and to bandage every injured part. These habits only served to confine 
that which nature was striving to cast out. They consequently did much 
harm, and are now happily discarded. 
