The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-01-12

1
afterwards dressed with compress
Of oakum saturated with carbolic acid
solution or other antiseptic dressing
Tf nail or other object Is found In
the foot, the principal direction, after
| having removed the offending body, Is
10 cut away the sole, In a funnel shape.
down to the sensitive parts beneath,
This Is imperative. and If good free
opening has been made and ID main
tanned for few days, hot fomenta-
tions and antiseptic dressings applied,
the cure generally Is easy, simple.
| quick and permanent. The horse should
be shod with n leather sole under the
shoe, first of oil applying tar and
oakum to prevent any dirt from en-
tering the wound. In some instances
nails may puncture the flexor tendons,
| the coffin bone, or enter the coffin
Joint. Such injuries nre always sert
Gus, their recovery slow and tedious
and the treatment so varied and difii
cult that the services Of veterinarian
will be necessary.
FhH1t1ttG fFVNNd1 VI SbtUAns
These wounds are more or less fire..
quent. They are always serious, and
often result In stlffening Of the joint
or the death Of the animal. The Joints
mostly punctured are the hook, fetlock
or knee though other joints may, of
course, suffer this injury. AS the symp-
toms and treatment are much the same
for all. only the accident as 1t occurs
In the hook joint viii be described.
Probably the most common mode of
injury Is from the stab Of a fork, but
IL may result from the kick Of another
horse that is newly shod, or In many,
other ways. AT first the horse evinces
but slight pain or lameness. The own
or discovers d small wound scarcely
larger than pea, and pays but little
attention to II. In few days, how
ever. the pain and lnmeness become ex-
cesslve; the horse can no longer bear
any weight upon the injured leg; the
Joint Is very much swollen and pain
full upon pressure; there are we'll
marked symptoms Of constitutional dis
turbance-quick pulse, hurried breath
ing, high temperature, 103 to 100 de-
grces Fahrenheit, the appetite Is lost,
thirst Is present, the horse reeks with
sweat, and his anxious countenance
shows the pain he suffers. He may lie
down, though mostly he persists In
and the opposite limb be-
comes greatly swollen from bearing
the entire weight and strain for SO
long time. The wound, which at
first appeared so insignificant, Is now
constantly discharglng thin, whitish
or yellowish fluid-joint oil or water
which becomes coagulated about the
mouth Of the wound and adheres to the
somewhat the white of an egg. Not in
frequently the joint opens at different
places, discharglng Mt first thin,
bloody fluid that soon assumes the
character above described.
Difficult OF Treatment.
Treatment of these wounds Is most
difficult and unsatisfactory. Much
can be done to prevent this array of
symptoms If the case is seen early
within the first "a or AS hours after the
injury; but when inflammation Of the
Joint Is once fairly established the case
becomes one of grave tendencies.
Whenever a punctured wound of
Joint is noticed, even though appar-
emily of but small moment, apply with
out the least delay strong can
tharides blister over the entire joint,
being even careful to I'LL the orifice
of the wound with the blistering ONT
ment. This treatment may be eff
fectual. II operates to perform cure
In two ways-flrst, the swelling Of the
skin and tissues underneath it com
pletely closes the wound and prevents
the ingress of air; second, by the SUI
perficlal inflammation established 1t
acts to check or abate all deep-seated
Inflammation. In the great majority of
instances, IL pursued soon after the ac-
cldent, this treatment performs cure
In about one week, but should the
changes described as occurring later
in the joint have already taken place,
then treat by cooling lotions and the
application to the wound of chloride
Of zinc, ten grains 10 the ounce of wa
ter, or paste made of flour and alum.
A bandage will hold these applications
In place. which is only to be removed
when swelling of the leg or increasing
febrIle symptoms demand II. In the
treatment of open joints the chief aim
must be to close the oritlce as soon as
possible. The only probing of an open
Joint should be when first the wound
is examined for foreign bodies or dirt,
and after removing them the probe
must not again be used. The medi-
cines used to coagulate the synovial
discharge are best simply applied to
the surface of the wound. or pledgets
of tow, and held in place by bandages,
Internal treatment is also indicated in
those cases of open joints in which the
suffering is great. AT first administer
a light physic and follow this up with
sedatives and anodynes, as directed for
n L..