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Show WOUNDSJDFJiORSES Abscesses Classed as Acute and Cold or Chronic. sores aft:r INFLAMMATION Ripening Process Should Be Hurried by Frequent Hot Fomentations and Poultices Treating Gangrene Gan-grene and Ulcerations. Abscesses consist of accumulations of pus within circumscribed wnlls, nt different parts of the body, and may be classed as acute and cold or chronic abscesses. When an abscess occurs about a hair follicle it is called a boll or furuncle; fur-uncle; when several hair follicles are Involved, resulting In the formation of more than one exit for the Inflammatory Inflamma-tory products, It Is called n carbuncle. Acute Abscesses. Acute abscesses follow as the result of local inflammation In glands, muscular mus-cular tissue, or even bones. They nre very common In the two former. The abscesses most commonly met with In the horse (and the ones which will be here described) are those of the salivary sali-vary glands, occurring during the existence ex-istence of "strangles," or "colt distemper." distem-per." . The glands behind or under the jaw are seen to increase In size, becoming firm, hard, hot and painful. At first the swelling Is uniformly hard and resisting over Its entire surface, sur-face, but in a little while becomes soft (fluctuating) at some portion, mostly In the center. From this time on the abscess is said to be "pointing," or "coming to a head," which Is shown by a small elevation or projecting prominence promi-nence which at first Is dry, but soon becomes moist with transuded serum. The hairs over this part loosen and fall off, and In a short time the abscess opens, the contents escape, and the cavity may gradually fill up healing by granulations. Abscesses In muscular tissue are usually the result of bruises or Injuries. In-juries. In all cases In which abscesses are forming the riDenlnc Drocess should be hurried by frequent hot fomentations fo-mentations and poultices. When they are very tardy In their development a blister over their surface Is advisable. It Is a common rule with surgeons to open an abscess as soon as pus can be plainly felt, but this practice can scarcely be recommended Indiscriminately Indiscrim-inately to owners of stock, since this little operation frequently requires an extra knowledge of anatomy. It will usually be found the better plan to encourage en-courage the full ripening of an abscess and allow it to open of Itself. This is imperative If the abscess Is in the region re-gion of joints, etc. When open, do not squeeze the walls of the abscess to any extent. They may be very gently pressed with the fingers at first to remove re-move the clot9 thickened pus but after this the orifice Is simply to be kept open by the Introduction of a clean probe, should It be disposed to heal too soon. If the opening is at too high a level another should be made Into the lowest portion of the abscess so as to permit the most complete drainage. Hot fomentations or poultices poul-tices are sometimes required for a day or two after an abscess has opened, and are particularly Indicated when the base of the abscess is hard. Cold Abscesses. Cold abscess is the term applied to those large, indolent swellings that are the result of a low or chronic form of inflammation, In the center of which there is a small collection of nus. They are often seen near the point of the shoulder, forming the so-cnlled breast boll. The swelling Is diffuse and of enormous extent, but slightly hotter than surrounding parts, and not very painful upon pressure. A pronounced stiffness, rather than pain, is evinced upon moving the animal. Such abscesses ab-scesses have the appearance of a hard tumor, surrounded by a softer swell- Ing, Involving the tissues to the extent of a foot or more In all directions from the tumor. This diffused swelling swell-ing gradually subsides and leaves the large, hardened mass somewhat well defined. Treatment. The means recommended to bring the acute abscess "to a head" are but rarely effectual with this variety; or, If successful, too mucli time has been occupied in the cure. More rupld methods of treatment are necessary. These consist, first of all, In carefully exploring the tumor for the presence of pus. The Incisions must be mude over the softest part and carried deep into the tumor to its very bottom, if necessary and the matter allowed to escape. After this, and whether matter is found or not, an acute lnflnmmation of the tumor tu-mor must be Induced, In order to promote pro-mote solution of the thick walls of the abscess. This may be done by Inserting In-serting well Into the Incision a piece of oakum or cotton saturated with turpentine, tur-pentine, carbolic acid, tincture of Iodine, etc., or the Incision may be packed with powdered sulphate of zinc and the orifice kept plugged for 24 hours. These agents set up a destructive de-structive Inflammation of the walls. Suppuration follows, and this should now be encouraged by hot fomentations fomenta-tions and poultices. The orifice must be kept open, and should it be disposed to heal, some of the agents above described de-scribed must again be introduced. A favored treatment with many, and it is probably the best. Is to plunge a red-hot Iron to the bottom of the Incision Inci-sion and thoroughly sear all parts of the walls of the abscess. This Is to be repeated after the first slough has taken place if the walls remain thickened thick-ened and Indurated. Gangrene. Gangrene, or mortification, denotes the death of the affected part, and Is mostly found attacking soft tissue near the surface of the body. Gangrenous Gan-grenous areas may occur as a result of shutting off their blood supply. Constitutional Con-stitutional diseases, such as ergotism, anthrax, and septicemia, predispose to gangrene. Among externul causes are acids and alkalies, freezing and burning, burn-ing, contusions, and continuous pressure press-ure that Interrupt the circulation. There are two forms of gangrene dry and moist. Dry gangrene Is most often seen In horses from continuous lying down or from uneven pressure of some portion of the harness. Symptoms. There is a lack of sensation due to the death of nerves. In drj gangrene the skin is leathery and harsh, w hile In moist gangrene the tissues tis-sues are soft, wrinkled, and friable; the hair Is disturbed, and the skin is usually moist and soapy and sometimes some-times covered with blisters. The tissue tis-sue surrounding the moist gangrenous patch Is usually inflamed, swollen, and hot, but this is less noticeable In the case of gangrene. Moist gangrene often spreads and Involves deeper tissue, tis-sue, sheaths of tendons and joints, blood poisoning and death. Dry gangrene gan-grene is seldom dangerous, but the rapidity of its spread will Indicate its virulence. Treatment. The preventive treatment consists In avoiding all the influences that tend to disturb the nutrition of the tissues, such as excessive cold or heat or continuous con-tinuous pressure. Gangrene following sores caused by lying down may be prevented by using soft bedding and frequently turning the animal from one side to the other. In dry gangrene gan-grene moist heat in the form of poultices poul-tices or anointing the tissue with oils and fats will be found beneficial in hastening the dead tissue to slough off. When the outer skin begins to suppurate. sup-purate. It should be removed with a pair of pincers, and the patch treated as an open wound. In moist gangrene the tissue should be thoroughly disinfected disin-fected with a 3 per cent solution of compound cresol, or particularly an alcoholic tincture of camphor. Continuous Contin-uous irritation with antiseptic fluids prevents the accumulation and absorption absorp-tion of poisonous liquids. ' |