274 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



ing or bandage is so applied that the surface of the dressing re- 

 mains entirely dry (warm, moist poultice). After about 1 to 3 

 hours, a reactive hypersemia of the skin has taken place under the 

 bandage in the manner before described, so that the dressing must 

 be renewed after this period. A renewal of the dressing is also 

 indicated when the inner layers of the bandage have become dry. 

 On account of the early occurrence of maceration of the skin, 

 care must be taken not to continue the use of the dressing too 

 long; in order to avoid inflammation of the skin, it is recommended 

 that the dressing be left off over night or every second or third day. 



2. Irrigation. By this is understood the irrigation of the body 

 or parts of it with cold water by means of a rubber hose. This 

 serves to withdraw heat generally and locally in fever and in 

 inflammations of peripheral parts (hoofs, tendons, joints, head). 



3. Douche. This is the application of a stream of cold water 

 with the simultaneous action of mechanical force (pressure from a 

 syringe or from water pipes, irrigation from a higher level); it 

 acts as a powerful stimulant to the nervous system, especially in 

 depressed conditions of the brain and spinal cord. 



4. Baths. The domestic animals are in general rarely sub- 

 jected to complete baths for hydrotherapeutic purposes; on the 

 other hand, cold and warm local baths are employed in different 

 forms, especially foot baths for horses, cattle and dogs, for the 

 purpose of reducing temperature, softening and cleansing. Ac- 

 cording to Wenz (Dissertation, Giessen, 1911), a preliminary 

 warm bath increases the effect of a succeeding cold bath, while 

 the reverse of this order is unfavorable. Additional investigations 

 on the action and use of baths on animals have been published by 

 Lucas (Berl. Arch., 1910). 



5. Cold rectal infusions. These serve to reduce the temperar 

 ture in fever and to stimulate intestinal peristalsis and evacuate 

 the rectum; they are used most frequently on the horse (clysters, 

 irrigations). 



6. Clay poultices. This is the oldest form of hydrotherapy 

 used in veterinary medicine. The cooling effect is slight, accord- 



