TREATMENT OF WOUNDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 7

TREATMENT OF WOUNDS.

At the February meeting of the Miltalio branch of the South Australian Bureau of Agriculture Mr Story read, a paper on the above subject, the following report of which appears in the local Journal of Agriculture: —"Accidents are constantly oocuring among live stock, and the impossibility of getting veterinary assistance forces a farmer to be his own surgeon. There are four kinds of wounds —viz., clean-cut, torn, bruised, and punctured. A clean-cut wound running lengthwise with the muscle is the easiest to manage. First see how deep it is, make sure there is no foreign substance in it, and then stop the bleeding by appbying hot or cold water. If a large artery has been cut tie it. Put a teaspoonful of carbolic acid into a quart ofj water and let a little run over the cut surface. If the wound is not deep the edges of it can be drawn together by silk thread steeped in the above solution. If the wound is across the muscle or an inch or more in deipth, do not put in stitches, because the cut ends will move below them. Torn wounds should have the bleeding stopped as described, and then be cleaned by letting water run over them. Do not try to sew them up. If the wound assumes an unhealthy appearance use acetate of lead, £oz; sulphate of zinc, Jk>z; carbolio acid, 1 drain; and water, one quart. Clean the wound with water and apply this lotion twice a diay. Punctured -wounds are the worst of all, because they are liable to have foreign substances, such as hair and pieces of wood within, causing inflammation and sometimes mortification and death. To treat these probe the part to find the depth and direction of the wound, see if there is any foreign substance in it, and remove it. Clean it as well as possible, then dip a ipieee of soft muslin in a solution of carbolic acid—three drams to

4oz of water, —and press this to the bottom of the wound. Let it remain a few hours, and then draw it out and put in a fresh one. Do this three times a day. When the wound begins to produce matter the danger is passed. Clean it out twice a day and inject a little of the carbolic acid lotion used for cut wounds. Bruised wounds if bathed with acetate of lead (ioz) to one quart water several times a day will not become inflamed. Sometimes matter will collect, and the parts will swell up and become soft and puffy. In such a case open it and inject a little of the following twice a day:—Zinc chloride, two drams; water, one quart. If it leaves a thickening rub with the following ointment second week; —Biniodide of mercury, two drams; lard, 30z." The priper vas fully discussed, and members thought no farmer could afford to negleot •wounds in stock.