203 
injury does terminate favourably, the bones forming the joint often become 
united together, and the animal has a stiff joint for life. 
We do not propose to enter deeply into the treatment of open joints, 
Considerable skill is requisite to secure a good result in such cases. The 
animal should be placed in slings, as otherwise he will soon fall, and be 
unable to rise again. A dose of aloes should be given in the first instance, 
and the diet should be of a nutritious, laxative nature. As the disease 
progresses, it is most important that the diet should be as tempting and as 
nutritious as possible, as the continuous discharge proves very debilitating. 
After the administration of the aloes, if the febrile symptoms are very 
marked, a drench, containing three ounces of liquor ammonii acetatis, and 
five drops of Fleming’s tincture of aconite, may be given in a little water,. 
every four hours, until the acute symptoms subside. There are 
several plans of treating the injury locally. Probably one of the 
best of these is the antiseptic method. The wound is carefully bathed with 
lotion of carbolic acid (carbolic acid one part, glycerine four parts, water 
twenty parts), and is then covered over with a quantity of gauze or lint of 
eucalyptus and iodoform. This acts as an efficient antiseptic. Around the 
antiseptic dressing, a bandage is then not too firmly wound. The wound 
will require to be dressed every other day, or more frequently, if there be any 
accumulation of matter. Some authorities recommend the application of a 
blister around the opening, when the swelling is very marked. In some 
instances, this plan seems to be attended with beneficial results. 
RUPTURE. 
OF ruptures or hernize, as these injuries are termed, there are two kinds to 
which the horse is liable. At the navel, rupture through the walls of the 
belly is not uncommon, and is readily detected. In this kind of rupture, 
which is generally present at birth, or occurs shortly afterwards, the bowet 
may or may not escape into the tumour. In many cases thé rupture 
disappears spontaneously, more especially in young foals. In order to cure 
this variety of hernia the animal. should be cast, the bowels being previously 
opened by the administration of a pint of linseed oil. For several hours 
before operating, all food should be withheld. After casting the animal, the 
swelling is pushed up into the belly, and the loose skin is then drawn up 
tightly on the fingers, and maintained thus by two skewers passed through 
it, one at either end. The skewers are then fastened together, and the skin 
drawn up is held firmly, by strong twine passed round them. The skin then 
gradually sloughs away, and needs, as a rule, no further attention. The 
ligatures must not be too tightly applied. When the rupture occurs in the 
walls of the belly, but not through the navel, it should be passed back and 
retained there, by the careful application of bandages. 
; The second variety of rupture, of which we need not speak at length,. 
is termed inguinal hernia. In chronic cases, as a rule, there is not much 
