POINTS IN PRACTICE. 
407 
covered in the methods of treatment that our text-books and 
preceptors have advocated, we are not doing ourselves justice 
unless we make an effort to rectify that error, and to try and 
find a more satisfactory way for ourselves and patrons. 
It is a very common occurrence in our practice to be called 
upon to treat open joints in horses, and we can all justly con¬ 
sider these cases as stumbling-blocks in practice, as the major¬ 
ity of us would probably testify to very unsatisfactory results 
obtained in the greater number of cases, and, in hopes that 
some benefit may be derived from misfortune, this point has 
been selected for to-day. 
When we first enter practice in this profession, we usually 
follow the lines laid down by our predecessors, w^en called 
to treat one of these cases, and we use hot water, and cold 
water, poultices and pounded ice, liniments and injections— 
with the unsatisfied feeling, that, if by any chance the poor 
animal lives, that it would be more than likely to have com¬ 
plete anchylosis of the affected joint. This in itself was suf¬ 
ficient inducement for me to cast about for something that 
would give better results, and the following are my conclu¬ 
sions : 
Make it a positive rule never to inject anything into an 
open joint, unless there is a discharge of pus from the wound, 
and then, nothing but some bland, non-irritating substance, 
such as olive oil or-lard oil. These can be used with an un¬ 
sparing hand for the first treatment, to mechanically remove 
the accumulation of pus, and is not to be repeated unless ab¬ 
solutely necessary. When one is called before the care-taker 
has applied or injected some one of the usual liniments, there 
will be no reason for injecting anything into the wound. 
It is necessary in all cases to provide a large pad of absorb¬ 
ent cotton; a long roller bandage, either cotton or flannel; 
also a plentiful supply of oxide of zinc seven parts, powdered 
wood charcoal one part. First apply to the wound a part of 
the powder, then cover the pad of cotton with a liberal quan¬ 
tity of the same; having the pad held against the wound by 
an assistant, apply the bandage rather snugly, and give posi¬ 
tive orders to let it alone for twenty-four hours, when the 
