Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-01-26

the coffin hone, or enter the coffin
joint. Such injuries are always seri-
Gus. their recovery slow and tedious,
and the treatment so varied and diff
cult that the services of veterinarian
will be necessary.
Punctured Wounds of Joints.
These wounds are more or less fire.
| qVnt. They are always serious, and
often result in stiffening 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 it occurs
i'm the hook joint will be described.
| Probably the most common mode OF
injury is from the stab of fork. but
| it 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
er discovers small wound scarcely
larger than pea. and pays but little
attention to it, In few days. how
ever. the pain and lameness become ex-
ceSsive; 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 JOG de-
grees 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
standing. 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 discharging a thin, whitish
or yellOwish fluid-joint Oil or water
which becomes cOagulated about the
mouth of the wound and adheres to the
part in clots, like jelly, or resembling
somewhat the white of an egg. Not in
frequently the joint opens at different
places, discharging at 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 4S hours after the
injury; but when inflammation of the
Joint is once fairly established the case
becomes one of grave tendencies.
Whenever punctured wound of a
joint is noticed, even though appar-
emily of but small moment, apply with
out the least delay a strong can
tharides blister over the entire joint,
being even careful to fill the Oritice
of the wound with the blistering ONT
ment. This treatment may be ef-
fectual. 1t operates to perform cure
in two wayS-first. the swelling of the
skin and tissues underneath 1t COM
pletely closes the wound and prevents
the ingress of air; second. by the SUI
perficial inflammation established 1t
acts to check or abate all deep-seated
Inflammation. In the great majority of
instances. l. pursued soon after the ac-
ciGent. 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 to the ounce of wa
ter. or a paste made of flour and alum.
i'm place. which is only to be removed
when swelling of the leg or increasing
febrile symptoms demand it. In the
treatment of open joints the chief aim
must be to close the Orifice 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
confused wounds. Later, however,
give quinine or salicylic acid In one
dram doses two or three times q day.
Wounds of Tendon Sheatha
Wounds of tendon sheaths are SIM
liar to open joints in that there Is an
escape of synOvial fluid, "sinew water"
Where the tendOns are punctured SIM
ply by thorn, nail or fork, after q
thorough exploration for any remain
ing foreign substance, treat the wound.
with the flOur-and-alum paste, BAN
dages. ETC., as for open joint. Should
the skin and tendOns be divided, the
case is even more serious and is often
incurable. There is always a large
bed of granulatiOns (prOud flesh) at
the seat of injury, and a thickening
more or less pronounced remains.
When the back tendOns Of the leg are
severed, apply at once high-heel
shoe (Which is TO be gradually low
cred as healing advances) and bandage
firmly with compress moistened with
ten-grain chloride of zinc solution
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