ACCIDENTS IN STABLE AND FIELD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1495, 1 March 1887, Page 3

ACCIDENTS IN STABLE AND FIELD.

Accidents m the stable and m the field are sufficiently common among ihe animals of the farm to render it nccassary for the farmer to be prepared to deal with injuries of a trifling kind not requiring any surgioal operation. Wounds, bruises and sprains are the prlnoipal forms of Injuries whioh are likely to be met with, and although the treatment which each form demands will be modified by various circumstances, tbere are certain general principles whioh must always guide the application of remedia meaßures. Wounds. — It may be accepted as a fact beyond question that wounds heal natur- j ally In a healthy state of the system, and the proceßß oannot be accelerated, although it may easily be retarded. The unhealthy state wbich wounds scran times aesurae is generally due to the introduction of septic germs from without ; and the first essentials cf treatment are to remove all dirt and foreign matter from the injured parts, and to protect them from infection by excluding the ait and everything else by the agency of an antiseptic barrier of medioated ootton or gauze . All ointmentr, tinctures, lotions, or plasters may be dit ■ •carded with advantage from the l"st of domestic appliances for the cure of wounds, and the amateur surgeon may content himself with the simple expedient of adjusting the edges of ihe wound as petfeotiy as his skill will enable him to do ; and then applying a little oarbolised ootton wool, to be kept m it? place by means of a bandage of carbolised gauza. Under this method of treatment healing takes place without any inflammation, or the occurrence of discharge, unlesa the adjacent parts hava been muoh damaged by the toroe wbich caused the injury. Injuries to the foot are commonly the cause of lameness, which is m many oases well marked, without the cause being apparent. As a general tule It is safe to ascribe a'l lameness to injury or disease of the foot nntil the contrary is proved. Professor Ooloman is credited with the utterance of a dictum, that if the cause of a horse's lameness could be shown to be centred m the animal's head, it is nevertheless neoessary to tfeek for it m the foot; and the frequent occurrence of wounds aud bruises m this organ from shoeing, and also from contact with hard sub* stances on roadß, sufficiently justifies tho learned Professor's maxim. In every caaa of lameness, espeolal'y when the fore-limbs are affected, the shr c should be removed, and the foot searched by paring, and by pressing with the pincers until it Is quite clear from the absence of pain on pressure that no injury has been Uflloted, If, as commonly happens, an abscess is detected, whether it arises from a prick by a badly-driven nail In shoeing, or from a bruise inflloted by a atone m the road, the treatment will' be the same . The matter must be allowed free exit ; without the unnecessary removal of the substance of the hoof ; the frot should be soaked m warm water ; a little tar on a pieoe of tow should ba placed oa the wound, and after the shoe has been lightly nailed on, a stopping of tar and tow should be applied to the bottom of the foot, and retained by means of splints. \n unde' eoted abscess m |tbe foot is a serious affair.