ACCIDENTS, SEQUELJE OP SETONS. 199 



ings of the seton, or causing a swelling, if it accumulates ia the 

 tract. The ordinary means of hemostasis must be employed, as 

 cold douches, iced lotions, etc., and if these fail, the seton must 

 be removed, and the openings plugged with oakum, moistened 

 with hemostatic liquids, or with absorbent cotton ; or it may even 

 be necessary to close the openings with sutures, or resort to the 

 the application of pressure. Bouley recommended the introduc- 

 tion of a thick tent of oakum through the entire length of the 

 tract. 



(b) Gangrenous Swellings. — These are among the most common 

 and dangerous of accidents accompanying setons, and occur prin- 

 cipally during warm weather, in debilitated animals, or such as 

 are exposed to bad hygienic conditions or affected with some 

 special diseases. 



The gangrene manifests itself by the appearance of a warm 

 and painful swelling, oedematous and diffused, spreading rapidly, 

 but in the central portion cold and painless, and a general reaction 

 soon becomes manifest. The animal becomes dull ; the pulse is 

 accelerated and small, and the temperature heightened, the dis- 

 charge of the setons has changed its character to that of a thin, 

 sanious, and very foetid suppuration. All these symptoms become 

 rapidly exaggerated, and soon threaten the Ufa of the patient, 

 unless heroic measures are at once resorted to. 



When the tract assumes this gangrenous aspect the tape must 

 be immediately removed, and the tract thoroughly emptied and 

 cleansed, by injections of antiseptic liquids such as solutions of 

 phenio or salicylic acid, followed by cauterization with the red 

 iron in the tract, and through the oedematous swelling, accom- 

 panied by the free administration of tonics and antiseptics inter- 

 nally. No means should be neglected likely to overcome the 

 threatening septicaemia, which, if not controlled, wUl certainly have 

 a fatal termination. 



(c) Abscesses. — When the seton has been left in place too long, 

 or there has been neglect in respect to the care and cleanliness of 

 the tract, or when the tape has been removed, numerous abscesses 

 will sometimes be found along the course of the seton. They 

 have the character of phlegmonous swellings, and soon become 

 fluctuating. 



While they remain superficial, no serious results need be appre- 

 hended, and aU. they require is to be opened to allow the escape 



