888 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
treatment properly executed to the point where the occlusive 
dressing - is to be applied, the next step is to dry the wound and 
its environments with clean cotton dipped in boric acid powder. 
As soon as all the haemorrhage and moisture is perfectly dis¬ 
posed of, the stitches and a liberal surface around them are 
painted or sprayed with a saturated solution of rosin in ether. 
The ether will rapidly evaporate and leave a thin coat of rosin 
firmly adhering to the skin. The heat of the body will keep 
the rosin flexible enough to prevent its breaking up or crack¬ 
ing as might be expected. Such a coating can be made as thick 
as desired by adding layer upon layer as fast as the ether evap¬ 
orates. The process requires some patience, but when applied 
the dressing is the most perfect imaginable and by far super¬ 
sedes all others. A wound so clothed is safe against external 
influences and will therefore heal accordingly. The only bar¬ 
rier against universal success is the movements of the patient. 
No wound can heal with minimum inflammation unless the part 
is quiet, so here we are at a disadvantage varying according to 
the location of the wound and the complacency of the animal. 
The other adhesive substances that may be utilized in the 
same manner, such as collodion, Canada balsam and tar, are in 
no way equal in value to the rosin and ether mixture. 
2. Sutured I Sounds Requiring Drainage .—The surgeon 
must always estimate the amount of secretion that will "flow 
from a wound in order to provide the proper form of dressing. 
1 he mixture above mentioned will perfectly protect a sutured 
wouud, but if there is much secretion and no drainage provis¬ 
ion is made the coating will be pushed off by the outward pres¬ 
sure of the secretion, and even the suturing may be completely 
broken open. So therefore in this class of wound in addition to 
the above technique a liberal opening must be made to allow 
the.secretions to flow downward. The opening is wadded with 
antiseptic cotton wool and then sprayed with iodoform ether to 
prevent infection through that channel. Renewing the cotton 
once a day without disturbing the covered stitches is usually 
all the treatment such a wound will require. Antiseptic irriga¬ 
tion through the opening is not essential (and might even^be 
harmful) except when there is evidence or suspicion of sepsis. 
When irrigation actually becomes necessary it must be per¬ 
formed gently, so as not to disturb the sutures. 
3 * Well Drained Punctures and Fistula ?.—It is only seldom 
that the veterinarian meets with this class and when they are 
met with the occlusive dressing'is simple. Wadding the open- 
