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780 WOUND. 
Coniused Wounds.—Wounds of this description 
. are produced by violent blows with a blunt instru- 
ment; or, more frequently, by the horse, while 
in swift motion, being brought into contact with 
an obtuse object. The contused wound is gener- 
ally of an irregular form, its margins appearing 
unequal and ragged, and not unfrequently pre- 
senting flaps partially torn away from the neigh- 
bouring parts by a degree of force which leaves 
them bruised and feelingless, and sets aside all 
hope of a cure by adhesion. This kind of wound 
usually leads to the development of high inflam- 
matory action, during the suppuration conse- 
quent upon which, such portions of the bruised 
parts as have been too much injured to retain 
their vitality, are thrown off, leaving a vacuity 
which is to be covered by the formation of gran- 
ulations anda cicatrix. In slight cases, however, 
it is possible that the lesion may not have gone 
to so great an extent, and that there may still 
| be some prospect of a complete, or, at least, a 
partial union by the first intention. In any case, 
it will be proper to bring the divided surfaces 
into as close contact as possible, placing over 
| them the usual simple dressings, lint, compress, 
and bandage. It will rarely be advisable to have 
recourse to the suture, as it would be apt to pro- 
voke that intense degree of inflammation, which, 
in such wounds, we have especially to fear; but 
strips of adhesive plaster may often be advan- 
tageously applied. Acting thus, even if we do 
not succeed in obtaining immediate union, we 
are at least likely to render more moderate the 
after effects, and to hasten a cure. As soon as 
any active inflammation shows itself, we must at 
once take off all pressure of plasters, &c., from 
the wound, and commence the use of poultices; 
the rest of the treatment being to be conducted 
on the planrecommended for suppurative wounds. 
In this class of wounds we must be especially pre- 
pared to expect the occasional appearance of 
symptomatic fever, which must be met as usual 
by bloodletting, laxatives, and restricted diet. 
Gunshot wounds may with propriety be ranked 
in the class of contused wounds; but as animals 
employed in the affairs of peace are rarely sub- 
jected to this kind of injury, and as a correct 
knowledge of the appropriate treatment can only 
be acquired by those who seek to obtain it 
through experience in the midst of campaigns, 
it will be proper to abstain from encroaching 
here upon what must be held to be the peculiar 
province of the army veterinary surgeon. 
Lacerated wounds may be caused by a nail, or 
other pointed but blunt-edged substance, pene- 
trating the flesh of an animal while in motion, 
and tearing itself a-passage outwards while the 
motion continues; or they may be occasioned by 
the bite of another animal, &c. The edges of a 
lacerated wound are unequal, and a flap torn 
and raised from the adjoining parts is a frequent 
accompaniment. The rules for treating this kind 
of injury do not differ from those applicable to 
WREN. 
contused wounds, and need not, therefore, be 
longer dwelt upon; and we may simply remark, 
that our chance of obtaining an union by the 
first intention is greater in the lacerated than in 
the contused wound. [Abridged from an Essay 
by Dr. Wilson of Kelsoin the Quarterly Journal of 
Agriculture. | 
Wounds of joints, particularly of large ones, 
are generally attended by a high degree of in- 
flammatory action, symptomatic fever, and ex- 
cruciating pain; and as they are usually small 
and of the punctured kind, inflicted by a thorn 
or by a sharp stable-fork, they may most readily 
be closed by the application of the actual cau- 
tery; and when they make such an opening as 
to permit an escape of the synovia, or yellow- 
ish, transparent, slippery secretion which lubri- 
cates the joint, they ought to be closed with all 
possible speed.— Wounds of the abdomen, in- 
flicted by the horns of cattle or by sharp pieces 
of wood in fences, are sometimes so severe as to 
let out or even lacerate some part of the intes- 
tines. If the bowels merely protrude without 
being injured, a cure may often or even gene- 
rally be effected by promptly throwing the pa- 
tient on his back, replacing the bowels, stitching 
up the wound, and applying a pledget of tow 
and a wide bandage; but if the bowels have suf- 
fered any laceration or contusion, all hope of 
cure may be foregone, except possibly by means 
of skilful treatment on the part of a very judi- 
cious and experienced veterinarian Wounds of 
considerable nerves are sometimes followed by 
tetanus or by some other very severe forms of 
distress ; and partial divisions of nerves are al- 
ways so much worse than complete divisions, 
that the symptoms which follow them may usu- 
ally be alleviated by laying bare the nerve at 
the injured part, and completely dividing it.— 
See the articles Inruamup Vetns, Cut, Bruisn, 
Frstuta, Broken Kyuus, Porn Evin, Uncur, As- 
ScEss, QuiTtor, OvERREAcH, Srrain, Tumour, 
Fracture, Purvuent Marrmr, Pourtics, and Fo- 
MENTATION. 
WOUNDWORT. See Gorpen-Rop, Kipnry- | 
Vercn, and Hrepce-Nerris. 
WRACKGRASS, — botanically Zostera. 
indigenous, monocotyledonous, aquatic, economi- 
cal plant of the order Fiuviaues. It constitutes 
a genus of itself, and is specifically called the 
marine; and it takes its popular name of wrack- 
grass from its general resemblance to sea-wrack, 
and its scientific name of zostera from the riband- 
like form of its leaves. It grows on the sea- 
shore, and blooms in August and September, and 
is so like some kinds of alge that it might al- 
most be mistaken for them. It loves a sandy 
soil, and may be propagated from seeds. 
WREN. A group of small British birds, of 
the warbler family of Passerine. 
The common wren, Kitty wren, or Jenny wren, 
Troglodytes vulgaris, is a very diminutive and 
very well known bird; and inhabits all parts of 
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