The Common Farm Operations. 187 



The general treatment of wounds may be briefly stated 

 as follows: First to stop the bleeding and remove any 

 foreign substance, such as dirt; second, to protect from 

 germs; third, to bring the parts as closely together as 

 possible, keep down excessive inflammation, and prevent 

 the accumulation of discharges. A wound is said to be 

 healthy when it looks like a clean cut; unhealthy when 

 it is pale, covered with pus, small clots of blood or proud 

 flesh; inflamed or angry when hot and of a dark red 

 color; indolent when the process of healing seems stopped 

 before the proper time, e. g. , a siifast. It may be stated 

 as a general rule that if a wound continues dry, and not 

 ill-smelling, looks healthy, etc., that it should not be 

 interfered with, but if pus forms it should be washed 

 clean once or twice a day with clean warm or cold water, 

 a syringe or piece of cheese cloth (do not use a sponge, 

 the cheese cloth can be burnt after once using), then 

 apply some antiseptic solution or dry antiseptic powder. 



Control of bleeding (hemorrhage) is the first thing to 

 do in connection with wounds, as the animal's life blood 

 may very soon flow away, if the bleeding is from an ar- 

 tery; bleeding from veins as a rule is seldom dangerous, 

 unless the animal is in an already weakened condition; 

 sometimes bleeding is arrested by the contraction of the 

 muscular coat of the artery; an artery partially cut 

 through wilFcontinue to bleed, when if entirely cut across 

 the bleeding will often stop, owing to the fact that the 

 muscular contraction mentioned becomes possible. Sur- 

 gical methods of stopping bleeding are by the use of 

 forceps performing torsion (twisting), in this form the 

 divided end of the artery is seized by the forceps and 



