242 PEINCIPLES OP VETERINARY SCIENCE 



of blood may be found in wounds. Unless all foreign and dead 

 matter is removed, it will be impossible to get permanent healing. 



Dressing wounds includes their cleansing, suturing, and bandag- 

 ing. These will now be explained. 



Cleansing is best carried out by applying a fluid that has some 

 antiseptic properties. The fluid may be applied with a syringe 

 or pledgets of cotton. Among the many fluids used in dressing 

 wounds, carbolic acid solution is most popular. It is employed 

 in 3 per cent, strength made with boiled water. 



An antiseptic called "Dakin's fluid" after its discoverer 

 and consisting of sodium hypochlorite has been used very success- 

 fully in the great war for wound treatment. It is injected or 

 irrigated into the wounds, which are lightly packed with gauze 

 saturated in the solution. So effective is this remedy that a 

 badly infected wound will usually be practically sterilized in three 

 or four days. Amputation of limbs with compound fractures 

 has been found unnecessary in most cases when this method has 

 been used. Sodium hypochlorite has the power quickly to 

 separate and dissolve necrotic material in a wound. The sur- 

 geon has in this antiseptic a wonderfully satisfactory aid. Its 

 main disadvantage is that it rapidly dissolves the wound cement. 



Tincture of iodin makes a very good wound cleanser. It 

 is the only substance that is capable of killing bacteria in the 

 tissues without affecting more than slightly the growth of the 

 tissue cells. 



Alcohol is of no practical value unless in 95 per cent, strength. 

 A 10 per cent, solution of alcohol has no harmful effect either on 

 bacteria or on tissue cell growth. 



Hydrogen peroxid is much less valuable than is popularly 

 believed. In the presence of organic matter it rapidly reduces 

 and loses its antiseptic property. It is a powerful deodorant, 

 but should not be relied upon as an antiseptic. Compared with 

 carbolic acid it is about Jfjojooo as efficient. When applied 

 to a wound with much pus accumulation it acts mainly as a 

 mechanical agent to bring the tissue debris from the depths. 



By suturing is meant the sewing together of the wound edges. 

 It is necessary where there is much gaping. For this purpose 

 heavy silk is used when it is available. In an emergency heavy 

 linen thread, or common white twine and a darning needle may 

 be used. Whatever material is employed must be boiled or 



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