TREATING STOCK WOUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18518, 1 October 1923, Page 10

TREATING STOCK WOUNDS.

It is a mistake to constantly wash, and so irritate, a wound during healing process. Nature conducts the healing ~ work by filling, the gap or tear with new granulation tissue, and man's interference, done with good intent as it is, may retard repair and final healing. The fundamental principles of treatment are to cleanse the wound and remove all foreign matters, shreds of skin or flesh and clotted blood, kill germs, prevent their growth in the wound, and ensure rest of the part. ; .: : When a wound occurs the hair around it should be clipped off and the part thoroughly washed. Then every particle of dirt, grit, straw, chaff, grass, manure and other foreign substance should be removed, even if it takes an hour: or more to do it, because unless properly done complications will set in. -In, cases of bleeding, arterial (bright red spurts of blood) should have a ligature tied tightly around between the wound and heart if it is possible, whilst for venal (dark red sluggish stream) bleeding in the leg, the ligature should be tied below the wound. After stopping the.bleeding and cleansing the wound with hot water, containing some reliable antiseptic, as two teaspoonfuls of coal tar 'disinfectant to a pint of water or one in one thousand solution of bichloride of mercury, the. wound should be wetted two or three times : daily "with white lotion (composed of 1 oz. of acetate of lead, 6 drams of sulphate of zinc, and one pint of soft water). This must be labelled poison, and {shaken well before using. White ■ lotion forms a scab, which must not be removed (unless it ' should become fly blown) when cleansing, because -healing. is ; proceeding under the scab. . Deeper wounds may be dusted several times daily with an antiseptic powder,, such as a mixture of .one part calomel, one part subnitrate of bismuth, and six parts finely powdered boric acid.—Dr. A. S. Alexander, in ''The Breeders!' Gazette." .