Catoctin clarion., 1917-02-08

naming within the lnterStlceS OF tne
tissues, the healing will be rapid and
satisfactory.
Application Of causties.
If the abscess has already opened,
giving vent to quantity of purulent
matter, and the pipes and tubes Lead
, ing from the opening are found to be
extensive and surrounded with thick
fungoid membranes, there Is consider.
able danger that the internal ligaments
or even some of the bones have be-
come affected, in which case the con-
dition has assumed serious aspect
Or, on the other hand, II the abscess
has existed for some time without a
rupture, its contents will frequently
be found to consist Of dried purulent
matter, firm and dense, and the walls
surrounding the mass will be found
greatly thickened. In such case the
application Of caustics will cause a
sloughing of all of the unhealthy tis-
sue, and will also stimulate a rapid
increase of healthy material to replace
that destroyed in the course Of the de.
velOpment and treatment of the dis
ease. Threads or cords soaked in gum.
arabic solution and rolled in powdered
corrosive sublimate may be introduced
into the canal and allowed to remain.
The skin on all parts Of the shoulder
and leg beneath the tistlla should be
carefully creased with lard or oil, as
this will prevent the discharge that
comes from the opening after the caus-
tic Is introduced from irritating or
blistering the skin over which it flows.
In obstinate cases piece Of caustic
potash (fused) l to 2 inches in length
may be introduced into the opening,
and should be covered with oakum or
cotton. The horse should then be Sc
cured so that he cannot reach the part
with his teeth. After the caustic plug
has been in place for "a hours, 1t may
be removed and hot lamentations ap-
piled. AS soon as the discharge has
become again established the abscess
should be opened from it's lowest ex-
tremity. and the passage thus formed
may be kept open by the introduction
of seton. If the pipes become estab-
lished in the deep tissues beneath the
shoulder blade or among the spi' es of
the vertebral column, it will often be
found impossible to proviue proper
drainage for the abscesS from below,
and treatment must consist of caustic
solutions carefully injected into all
parts of the suppurating sinuses. A
very effective remedy for this purpose
is one ounce of chloride of zinc in half
n pint of water, injected three times
during a week, after which a weak So
luton of the same may be occasional
ly injected. Injections Of Villates SO.
luton or alcoholic solution Of corrosive
sublimate, strong carbOlic acid, or pos
sibly oil of turpentine will also prove
beneficial. Pressure should be applied
from below, and endeavors made to
heal the various pipes from the bot
tom.
Majority Of Cases curable.
Although the successful treatment Of
fistulas requires time and patience, the
majority Of cases are durable. The
sinuses must be opened ut their lowest
extremity and kept open. Caustic ap'
plications must be thoroughly used
once or twice, after which mild as.
tringent antiseptic washes should be
persistently used until Il cure Is
reached.
1t sometimes happens that the ero-
sions have burrowed so deeply or in
such q direction that the opening of u
drainage passage becomes impracti-
cable. In other cases the bones may
be attacked in some inaccessible loca.
ton, or the joints may be affected, and
in these cases it is often best to de-
stroy the horse at once.
The temperance of the fistula af.
ter it has apparently healed is not un-
common. The secondary attack In
these cases is seldom serious. The
lesion should be carefully cleaned and
afterwards injected with solution OF
zinc sulphate, 20 grains to the ounce
of water, every second or third day
until cure Is effected.
In fistula of the foot there is the
same tendency toward the burrOwing
of pus downward to lower structures
or in some cases upward toward the
coronet. Prior to the development of
Il quittor there Is always swelling at
the coronet, accompanied with heat
and pain. Every effort should now be
made to prevent the formation Of an
abscess at the point of injury. Wounds
caused by nails, gravel, or any other
foreign body which may have lodged
in the sole of the foot should be opened
at once from below, so as to allow free
exit to all purulent discharges. Should
the injury have occurred directly to
the coronct the application of cold TO-
mentations may prove efficient in pre-.
venting the formation of an abscess.
Bacterial vaccines composed of sew.
eral strains of the organisms usually
found in these pustular infections of
the horse are well adapted to the treat.
ment of these diseases. The vaccine
is administered simultaneously by
means of syringe, but the quantity
of the vaccine to be injected and the
number of doses to be used should be
left to the Judgment of Il competent
veterinarian.