WOUNDS. 
i8i 
vessel is divided transversely than when the wound is in a longitu- 
dinal direction and the more rapid the loss the greater the danger. 
Symptoms of severe bleeding are a blanched state of the mem- 
branes, coldness of the body and extremities, a swaying staggering 
gait, marked weakness and prostration. If the pulse can be taken 
it will be found to be irregular. The animal falls, usually becomes 
unconscious, the excretions may be passed involuntarily, a few 
slight convulsions and the animal is dead. 
[b) Removal of foreign bodies. — -Splinters of wood, pieces of 
glass or bone and other bodies often remain in a wound ; search 
should always be made for these and if found removal may be 
effected by means of the fingers, or with the aid of forceps. Much 
handling and probing of a wound is not necessary. Dirt, gravel, 
can best be removed by the free use of warm water. As a rule no 
raw surface should be wiped or rubbed. To cleanse the wound, small 
pieces of clean old linen should be employed. This may be carried 
out by merely dipping clean cloths in boiled water (which should be 
lukewarm w^hen used) or in a weak solution of carbolic acid (i to 
60), phenyle (i to 60), or 2 to 4 grains of permanganate of potash 
to the pint (Formulae 114 to 120). Each cloth should be gently 
squeezed above the wound so as to allow the water to trickle 
over it, or better still, rubber tubing may be attached to a funnel, 
or a large tin-pot with a spout. The solution can then be directed 
all over the wounded surface so as to thoroughly cleanse it. A 
large syringe also answers the purpose. Great force is unnecessary. 
As a precaution, when an elephant will permit the operation, in 
cases where punctured wounds are found on the limbs, after the 
offending agent is withdrawn, the wound should be enlarged with 
the knife, carefully inspected again for foreign bodies and then 
treated with carbolic acid (i in 3), which must be carefully rubbed 
into the deepest portions, but this method must not be applied wher- 
ever there is any likelihood of any internal organ being touched ; 
here it is best to cleanse the wound with carbolic lotion (i in 40) 
and dress and await developments. 
Generally speaking the less wounds are handled and interfered 
with the quicker they heal. Mahouts are fond of treasuring up every 
piece of filthy rag for future use and they are for ever rubbing or 
wiping raw surfaces with them, and not infrequently use them for 
plugging wounds of the back. There is only one way of preventing 
this, namely to make a point of burning all pieces of cloth and 
dressings after use ; and this is not much trouble. 
(c) Whenever a wound is found gaping, it is where possible 
desirable to bring the edges into contact in order to promote 
union, and the handiest method and one least calculated to be 
