* 497 
ON THE TREATMENT 
OPENED 
JOINT 
By Mr. Dawson, V.S. 
To the Editors of “ The 
Veterinarian.'’ 
86, Chiswell Street, Finsbury Square. 
Gentlemen, 
It is taught, and generally believed, that tendons and liga¬ 
ments when injured, do not regenerate, like other parts, to com¬ 
plete restoration ; but, having within these last few years ex¬ 
perienced the contrary, I beg to convey, through the medium of 
your most excellent publication, for the information of its readers, 
and the veterinary profession particularly, a plan of treating open 
joints, that, as far as my observations have gone, is peculiar to 
myself; at any rate, one not practised at the Veterinary College, 
an establishment from which I always did and still do feel a 
great pride in saying I have emanated. 
The grand object, gentlemen, (as you well know) in the treat¬ 
ment of open joints, is to stop the flow of synovia : unfortunately, 
however, the very means necessary to effect this are those that 
promote and keep up inflammation ; and such steps most con¬ 
ducive to the subduing of inflammation, with respect to local 
treatment, are those that most encourage the synovial discharge; 
therefore, that application which soonest accomplishes the sealing 
up of a joint must be best, all being violently irritating, if not 
caustic in their operation. 
In my connexion, gentlemen, I meet with open-jointed knees 
and pasterns in abundance; and from the very extensive injuries 
which the sinews and ligaments have sustained in many cases, I 
have, upon commencing my treatment, considered a cure almost 
impossible, where I now am quite sanguine of effecting one. I 
have in a variety of instances, directly after the accident, dissected 
out several inches of partially" divided or much lacerated sinew 
or ligament, and still the patient has done well, in becoming sound 
and as workable as ever. It is my uniform practice, gentlemen, 
to remove by the scalpel every part, whether sinew, ligament, 
skin, or what not, that nature would herself remove by the 
sloughing process ; by which I conceive several days, or probably 
a week's treatment is saved, besides the inflammation necessary 
to produce that separation of dead from living parts. I then 
foment, say for half an hour, for the purpose of cleansing the 
wound, as well as encouraging the discharge of as much blood 
as can be by that means obtained ; after this I dress simply, and 
VOL. Ill, 3 x 
