ON PUNCTURED WOUNDS OF THE JOINTS. 125 
With regard to the unfortunate termination of this particular class 
of wounds, more may be laid to the manner of their being dressed 
than to the wound itself. Dressings of a harsh nature ought to 
be avoided as much as possible, as also poulticing and fomentations, 
and exposure to the air. Poulticing and fomentations oftentimes 
too much increase the suppurative process, and very trouble- 
some abscesses form around the joint. The means employed 
should be mild, soothing, and tending rather to lull pain than to ag- 
gravate it. The following case will sufficiently explain my mode 
of treatment. 
I was requested to attend a mare, the property of a gentleman 
in this neighbourhood. She had been whipped about the stable by 
the waggoner, and then ran into the out-house. There happened 
to be a fork concealed in the straw, which the mare ran upon, and 
one of the prongs penetrated the knee joint of the off leg in front 
at the lower part, passing upwards, backwards, and out at the back 
part of the knee. The external wound was somewhat lacerated, 
and about the size of a half crown. 
I saw the mare a few hours afterwards, and found her in great 
pain, synovia escaping from the wound. I removed the hair from the 
part, and dressed it with equal parts of tincture of myrrh and tinc- 
ture of opium, getting as much of the mixture as I could into the 
wound without disturbing it. I then touched the edges of the wound 
with lunar caustic, and taking equal parts of ol. oliv., ol. tereb., 
and acetate of lead, I made it into a liniment, saturating some tow 
with it, and laying it over the parts. Over this I laid more tow, 
and, taking a long flannel bandage, and beginning from the fetlock 
joint, I passed it round the leg and over the knee, and drew it of a 
moderate tightness, as we know that pressure judiciously applied 
tends much to favour the adhesive process. Having well bandaged 
up the leg, I put on a boot, so as to prevent the animal from bending 
her leg. 
The following is the form of the boot, A giving the inside, and 
B the outside view of it. It is usually of about twenty inches in 
length, made of strong leather, buckling in front, and an iron plate 
running down the inside portion. This boot is to be buckled on just 
above the fetlock joint, at the back of the leg, the straps coming in 
front; one buckles just below the knee, the other two above: by 
means of it, the motion of the joint was prevented, and the animal 
kept it in a state of rest; a dose of physic was given, and bran 
mashes and hay ordered. 
In two days the bandages were removed, and I found the desired 
synovial clot. I dressed as before, and little or no tumefaction 
took place. Bran mashes, hay, and aperients occasionally were 
given, and the mare was soon fit for work. 
VOL. XIV. R 
