| Obstacle to the cure. 
778 
retaining its situation, but not so as to cause any 
considerable degree of constriction to the limb. 
The proper method of removing the dressings 
is a matter scarcely less worthy of attention than 
their first application. It will seldom be neces- 
sary to attempt their removal before the second 
or, more frequently, the third day after the in- 
jury. Care must now be taken not to expose the 
animal to unnecessary torment, or the still im- 
perfect cicatrix to risk of damage, by hasty or 
violent handling. Let the dressings be softened 
by tepid water where they Hanere’ through the 
hardening of effused blood or matter; and where 
plasters have been applied, they sont be re- 
moved by raising their extremities, and pulling 
them from each side towards the line of the 
wound, so as to avoid all danger of reopening 
its cavity. Long exposure and much handling 
of the wound should be avoided, and the probe 
must be sparingly used, if used at all, which will 
seldom be necessary. Where stitches have been 
employed, they should be divided and removed, 
if they have not already ulcerated out; and the 
precaution of applying fresh strips of plaster be- 
fore detaching the stitches, may often be adopted 
with propriety, as a means of insuring constant | 
support, where it is feared that the cicatrix is | 
still destitute of sufficient solidity to maintain its 
union. The injured parts should be lightly 
washed before the application of fresh dressings, 
as want of cleanliness will often prove a serious 
The intervals which ought 
to elapse between the subsequent dressings must 
be regulated by circumstances. It is seldom that 
they can be required oftener than once in the 
twenty-four hours; and where the process of 
union has gone on successfully, even this need 
not be long continued, as the cicatrix will speedily 
acquire that degree of consistence which renders 
it independent of extraneous support; at which 
period the cure of the wound may be considered 
as complete. The success of the plan which has 
been detailed is not likely, in moderately favour- 
able instances, to disappoint our wishes; but if, 
after exposing it to a fair trial, it be found that 
the wound shows no decided tendency to unite, 
it must now be healed by the slower process of 
suppuration and granulation. 
Suppurative Wounds.—Wherever the margins 
of a wound cannot be brought into close contact, 
and its surface covered by sound intesumments 
there can be no hope of a cure excepting through 
the medium of the suppurative process. <A 
wound may be in this condition either through 
a loss of substance which may characterize the 
injury, through neglect in the first treatment, or 
through such conditions of the general system, 
or of the parts injured, as are known to be un- 
favourable to the adhesive union. But we shall, 
perhaps, best exemplify the method of treatment 
which seems to recommend itself most to notice 
| as founded on right principles, by following out 
a case in°which it may be supposed that the 
WOUND. 
union by the first intention has been attempted, 
and has not been attended with success.—If, as 
frequently occurs, the union be impeded by an 
excess of what may be termed simple, healthy, 
inflammatory action, evinced by considerable 
swelling of the parts adjoining the wound, and 
by the prominent, firm, and vividly-red appear- 
ance of the granulations on its surface, this will 
ordinarily be best allayed by the use of warm fo- 
mentations or poultices; while, in some cases, it 
may be necessary to have recourse to general or 
local bloodletting, and a restricted diet; and, on 
the action being subdued to its proper pitch, 
dressings with simple ointment, repeated daily, 
will serve to complete the cure; or, where the 
margins admit of being approximated to a certain 
extent, though not wholly, the adhesive plasters 
may be used.— But if the excessive action be of 
that kind which leads to the constituting of 
what we have described as the irritable ulcer, a 
more serious obstacle will have been placed in 
our way, demanding a more patient perseverance 
in the treatment. Our object must, of course, be 
to reduce the morbid state of excitement in the 
parts to the just standard; and to effect this, 
sometimes cold and sometimes warm applications 
have been recommended. The warm applica- 
tions are likely to suit. the greater number of 
cases ; and they may consist of fomentations with 
decoctions of chamomile flowers or poppy heads, 
and emollient poultices. The fomentations should 
be repeated at least twice daily, morning and 
evening, for half an hour at a time, and the sore 
should be covered during the intervals with warm 
poultices, frequently renewed, composed of sifted 
oatmeal, turnips boiled and bruised, or linseed 
meal, with the addition of a little lard or oil. 
When the irritability lessens, and healthy granu- 
lations begin to cover the sore, a piece of soft dry 
lint may be placed between it and the poultice ; 
and as soon as the ulcer wears that appearance 
which has been described as marking the progress 
of healthy granulation and cicatrization, the 
poultices should be discontinued altogether, as 
the action of the part must now be considered as 
proceeding within due bounds, and the farther 
use of emollients would be apt to induce the op- 
_| posite condition of deficiency of excitement. The 
farther treatment will consist of the simple dress- 
ings formerly recommended.—Should the action, 
on the other hand, be deficient, we shall have 
presented to us those appearances of the injured 
part which have been described as constituting 
the indolent ulcer; or, should the action have 
suffered diminution in a small degree only, we 
shall find the sore presenting pale and flabby gra- 
nulations, endowed with little heat and sensibi- 
lity, and having little tendency to cicatrize. To 
remedy either of these conditions, we must now 
have recourse to stimulating applications, such 
as the common resinous ointment, &., or lotions 
composed of camphorated spirits, or of some of 
the warm tinctures. The repeated moderate ap- 
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