Special report on diseases of the horse / by Drs. Pearson [and others].

Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Special report on diseases of the horse / by Drs. Pearson [and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    537/690 (page 459)
    WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. By Ch. B. Michener, V. S. [Revised in 1903 by John R. Mohler, V. M. D., A. M.] DESCRIPTION OF WOUNDS. A wound is an injury to any part of the body, involving a solu- tion of continuity or disruption of the'affected parts and is caused by violence, with or without laceration of the skin. In accordance with this definition we have the following varieties of wounds: Incised, punctured, contused, lacerated, gunshot, and poisoned. Thej may further be classified as superficial, deep, or penetrating, and also as unclean, if hair, dirt, or splinters of wood are present; as infected, when contaminated with germs; and as aseptic, if the wound does not contain germs. An incised wound is a simple cut made with a sharp body, like a knife, producing merely a division of the tissues. The duller the body, the more force is required, the more tissues destroyed, and a greater time will be required for healing. In a cut wound the edges are even and definite, while those of a lacerated wound are irregular and torn. Three conditions are present as a result of an incised wound: (1) Fain, (2) hemorrhage, (3) gaping of the wound. The first pain is due to the crushing and tearing of the nerve fibers. In using a sharp knife and by cutting quickly, the animal suffers less pain and healing occurs more rapidly. The secondary pain is usually due to the action of the air and inflammatory processes. When air is kept from the wound pain ceases soon after the lesion is produced. Hemorrhage is absent only in wounds of nonvascular tissues, as the cornea of the eye, the carti- lage of joints, and other similar structures. Bleeding may be from the arteries, veins, or capillaries. In the latter form of bleeding the blood oozes from the part in drops. Hemorrhage from the veins is dark red and issues in a steady stream without spurting. In arterial bleeding the blood is bright red and spurts with each heart beat. This latter variety of hemorrhage is the most dangerous, and should be stopped at once before attempting any further treatment. Bleeding from small veins and capillaries ceases in a short time spontaneously, while larger vessels, especially arteries, require some form of treat- ment to cause complete stoppage of the hemorrhage.