38 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



potassium, etc. ; it is important to direct the jet of the liquid 

 toward the cheek and not the pharynx. 



Cold compress or ice applications are to be used when the region 

 is hot, tender, and painful, or when the disease takes a phleg- 

 monous character. Priessnitz's compresses are recommended at 

 the time of abscess formation ; it is well to dip them in carbolized 

 water. These compresses relieve the animals, they are antiphlo- 

 gistic, hasten maturation of the abscess, and reduce inflammatory 

 tumefaction. Friction with mercurial ointment is also useful, 

 though absorption of mercury by the skin is doubtful ; this oint- 

 ment has an emollient action, and its fatty substance helps to 

 soften the integument. The compresses of Priessnitz are much to 

 be preferred to mercurial applications. 



The action of derivatives (mustard, liniments, collodion or 

 cantharides ointment) is questionable ; they are not to be recom- 

 mended in all cases. If they favor the maturation of the abscesses 

 they have no real derivative action. They may be used to rapidly 

 dissipate a hard and circumscribed tumefaction, but they must not 

 be used when the swelling is extensive, the local inflammation 

 intense, and suppuration deep and difluse; when the heart is weak, 

 and in general, in young and lymphatic animals. Often they 

 produce dyspnœa, enormous tumefactions, and gangrenous de- 

 struction of the connective tissue. Many horses have succumbed 

 from their effects. 



Abscesses should be opened as soon as they are found to exist; 

 it is prudent to make an incision of the skin only, and to perforate 

 the tissues with the finger. In this way abscesses located at a 

 depth of ten centimetres may be opened without any risk. Their 

 ulterior treatment is taught by surgery. 



Fumigations with plain or carbolized water are frequently used, 

 but they exert only an indifferent influence. They must not be 

 given too hot. In the dog the local applications of astringent 

 substances by means of an atomizer or a pharyngeal brush are 

 very advantageous. Alum, nitrate of silver, or tannin may be used. 



Dieckerhoff^'s intra-pharyngeal or intra-laryngeal injections 

 (nitrate of silver solution 1 : 50, or Lugol's solution) are danger- 

 ous, as we have ourselves experienced.^ [The danger, howêver, 

 consists more in the method of application than in the drugs used. 

 Locally, these remedies (argenti nitras and iodine) exert a most 



1 Friedberger : Miinch. Jaresber., 1886-87. 



