BURNING AND FREEZING. 393 



Burning and Freezing. 



In cases where a high degree of temperature acts upon the skin 

 it causes hypersemia, accompanied by a slight exudation, or an 

 erythematous inflammation. This is called the first degree, or 

 mild form of burning, and generally follows the same course as 

 that described on page 384. When the skin is subjected to the 

 action of a very high temperature we see violent serous exuda- 

 tion in the stratum mucosura. This lifts up the epidermis, form- 

 ing large vesicles. The covering of the vesicles bursts, and heal- 

 ing proceeds very rapidly, also complete reg-eneration of the epi- 

 dermis, provided there is no septic influence acting on the wound 

 surface. If the burn is still more severe, the tissue of the skin 

 becomes charred or burnt entirely, the whole skin being softened 

 and healing by the formation of a cicatricial tissue underneath. 

 In cases of burning in the first and second degrees the hair is only 

 lost temporarily; in the third and fourth degrees of burn it is 

 permanently lost. 



Theeapetjtic Treatment. The treatment of burns consists 

 in mild cases of cooling agents, sugar of lead, lead ointments (1 

 part of lead plaster to 9 parts of olive oil) ; in burns accompanied 

 by vesicles we use a powder of oxide of zinc and apply potash 

 liniments (equal parts of linseed oil and lime-water), or boric-acid 

 solution (20 per cent.). In cases where the burn is sufficiently 

 deep to char and make the skin black we must wait for softening 

 and detachment of the burnt portion and then proceed according 

 to the ordinary antiseptic treatment of wounds. 



Freezing has exactly the same effect as heat. In the first 

 degree we find bluish-red, but not distinct, flat swellings. In 

 more serious freezing we find serous vesicles somewhat bloody. 

 This, however, is very rare in the dog. Complete loss of the skin 

 after the freezing of a member has never been observed by the 

 author in the dog. In such cases it is advisable to use the same 

 treatment as is followed in human medicine — that is, friction with 

 petroleum, spirit of camphor, injections of tincture of iodine, and 

 in the severe forms strict antiseptic methods. 



