Wounds and Their Treatment
[Illustration: FRACTURES
When a bone is broken into two or more parts it is said to be fractured.
These may be straight across, up and down, or oblique. Ordinary
fractures are easily treated by splints, but sometimes fractures are so
serious as to destroy the value of the animal.]
The stockman has all sorts of wounds with which to deal. He may guard
his animals with the care and caution of a mother and still find
constant bother and worry to face in the daily management of his stock.
Today it may be a wound caused by a nail puncture in the foot; tomorrow
a cut occasioned by a fence; and then almost immediately another, the
result of a kick or a hook; with patience nearly exhausted, now follow
bruises of many sorts and unexplainable lacerations.
These troubles occur on the best managed farms. There is but one thing
to do: meet each case as it occurs and lend such assistance as you can
that nature may repair the wrecked tissue at the earliest possible
moment.
THE KINDS OF WOUNDS
Wounds fall into four classes: the clean-cut kind made by something
sharp; the torn or lacerated, where ragged edges are left; the bruised,
the result of continued pressure or kicks or a knock; and the punctured,
like the entrance of a nail or splinter or gunshot.
The latter class is the most difficult in treating, for the reason of
the greater penetration that may likely occur. In the case of gunshot,
the wound may be on the surface, or it may extend entirely through the
region attacked, or even penetrate some vital organ like the heart or
the lungs or bowels, and either immediately or within a few days be the
cause of death. Fortunately such wounds are rare. The stockman may never
have to deal with them at all. There are punctured wounds that are
common, however; some, indeed, frequently lead to death. A nail wound is
the most serious, perhaps. It is likely that more cases of tetanus or
lockjaw are due to nail punctures than to all others combined.
After this class comes the lacerated kind. These heal slowly; the tissue
being torn and bruised is repaired only through the sloughing off of the
injured and now superfluous parts. As a result, even with the most
attentive surgical help, the injured part develops its exposed sore,
ending finally completely healed, but permanently marked. Bruises may be
equally bad, long delayed in healing and very painful. Do you remember
the stone bruises of boyhood days? How long it required to develop! And
the pain! I shall feel mine for ages to come.
The clean-cut wounds, if not too serious, are the least difficult in
treating.
FIRST STEP IN TREATING
The flow of blood is usually associated with ordinary wounds; other than
with some bruised and punctured wounds this is always true. Frequently a
nail puncture gives off no blood or it is not noticed. However, the
blood is present, for, from the very nature of the trouble, blood rushes
to the seat, this being nature’s way of repair. Your first step,
therefore, is to check the excessive blood flow.
[Illustration: BANDAGING A LEG
The method of applying the bandage is shown here. The bandage may be
wrapped directly over the hair or over cotton saturated with an
antiseptic and placed over the wound.]
If left to itself the blood might do it. Blood has the trick of
coagulating or clotting; and this in time will check the flow. But you
can assist in forming the clot very simply by applying some finely
ground material that the blood may be held on the spot. Absorbent cotton
is the best material to use. In case this is not available, use
something of like nature--something that is clean, not stored up with
germs. Tea is good, as is flour also. Cold water acts favorably, and for
the slight, ordinary surface wounds water is usually sufficient. A few
drops of some antiseptic in the water, if available, is always
advisable, for the freshest water carries its full quota of germs, some
of which may cause trouble. A tiny bit of alum powder will be found both
effective and not painful.
=Cleansing the Wound.=--After the flow of blood has been stopped,
cleansing the wound is next in order. All dirt should be carefully
removed, the injured flesh cleansed, the torn tissues brought together
and stitched, if need be, and antiseptics applied. The water used in
bathing the wounded flesh should contain an antiseptic, that the germs
present may be destroyed and no live ones admitted by water in cleansing
the wound. Any good commercial antiseptic will do; or the old common
ones, like corrosive sublimate, one part in a thousand parts of water,
or carbolic acid, a teaspoonful in a quart of water. Some powdered
antiseptic like iodoform is very desirable for dusting into the wound.
=Making the Bandage.=--Unless the wound is of little consequence it
should be covered and bandaged that no foreign elements be admitted and
that some pressure may be given to keep the broken parts together. To
secure this effect absorbent cotton, slightly moistened with the
antiseptic, should be laid on the wound, and firmly fastened by strips
of clean cotton cloth.
By winding this bandage around and about the wound, dressed in this
careful way, the wound will be protected, germs will be kept out and
nature, thus reinforced, will be enabled to make a rapid recovery.
Unless the bandage is disturbed in some way there is no need of changing
it under twenty-four or thirty-six hours. If, for any reason, the
bandage is displaced, dress as before, and bandage again.
=Special Treatment.=--When a cut wound is deep or large, stitching is
sometimes required, that the broken parts may be brought together for
more rapid healing. Nothing is better for this than a coarse needle and
heavy thread. Before stitching, however, the wound should be bathed as
previously described. The needle and thread should be soaked in the
antiseptic, that no germs may be introduced by means of them.
Now you are ready to make the stitches. Place the needle about an eighth
to a quarter of an inch from the edge of the wound across to the
opposite side. Bring the two ends together and tie, leaving the lips of
the wound as close together as possible. If more than a single stitch is
necessary, proceed in the same way, placing the second stitch about
three-quarters of an inch from the first one; continue as with the first
stitch if more are necessary.
In case a needle and thread are not available, pins may be used in the
emergency. Insert the pin through the two edges and bring the lips
together, making them fast by a thread or cord carried from one end to
the other several times, alternating to the right and left as presented
by the figure eight. Sometimes the wound enlarges and becomes feverish.
If such becomes very severe, remove the fastenings and bathe the wound
very gently, using a mild antiseptic wash of tepid water in which
carbolic acid has been placed.
[Illustration: HEALTH AND DISEASE
In the upper picture the pigs are treating themselves. Below are shown
hogs which died during shipment to market.]
Avoid any breaking of the healing tissue and do not have the washing
solution too strong, else it may injure the delicate tissue growth. A
teaspoonful of carbolic acid to a quart of water is strong enough. With
lacerated wounds the treatment is very similar. If the wound goes bad
and becomes spongy add a tablespoonful of acetate of lead and a
tablespoonful of sulphate of zinc to the antiseptic solution and apply
twice daily.
[Illustration: MAKING POST MORTEM EXAMINATIONS
The upper right hand picture shows the intestines of a healthy sheep. On
the left nodule disease is discovered. The bottom picture illustrates
how a carcass may be opened for the examination.]
=Nail Punctures.=--These very frequently cause trouble. You have no way
of observing the wound and your only way of judging is from the way the
animal walks or acts, and if the hoof is unduly hot. Locating lameness
in the stifle joint is a common but inexcusable error, as the action
resulting from lameness in the two parts is entirely different. The
so-called gravel which is said to enter the sole of the foot and then to
work out at the heel is usually the working out of the pus or the matter
resulting from a nail puncture or a bruise.
If an animal becomes suddenly and severely lame and there be no evidence
of any injury to any other part of the leg, such as swelling, heat and
pain upon pressure, it is always well to look for puncture in the foot.
If the animal stands with the lame foot extended and when walking places
the lame foot well forward and brings the well foot up to it, the
evidence of puncture is still stronger.
To examine the foot properly the shoe should be removed. It is not
sufficient to merely scrape the bottom of the foot clean, for if the
nail has pulled out and the horn sprung back in position, all trace of
its entrance may have been obliterated. To examine the foot properly,
tap the hoof with a hammer or knife and the exact spot may be definitely
located. If the injury is of a few days’ standing, additional heat in
the hoof and, perhaps, slight swelling of the coronet may also be
present.
In treating such wounds, pare away only such parts of the hoof as
necessity requires and introduce a bit of cotton cloth rolled as a
string by means of a probe of some kind. Both probe and cotton must be
treated with the antiseptic solution. This solution should be a little
stronger than for flesh wounds. Make the solution by using a teaspoonful
of carbolic acid to only a pint of water. After the cotton has been
inserted a few times and withdrawn, each time a fresh cord being used
and fully saturated, leave the last one in for a few hours and then
repeat the treatment. This should be done three or four times each day.
The main point in the treatment of nail puncture of the foot is to
provide free exit to all matter that may collect and keep the parts as
clean as possible. If this be done, the matter will not be compelled to
work out at the heels, and no separation or loss of hoof will occur.
Often a very severe wound is made and the treatment acts slowly.
In case proud flesh accumulates, it should be burned away by a hot iron.
After this operation has been performed, the cavity should be filled
with balsam of fir and cotton placed over it, a piece of heavy leather
fitted to the foot and held fast by the replaced shoe. This will usually
end the difficulty. A veterinarian should be called in case the wound is
severe or goes bad as the treatment progresses.
=Treating Bruises.=--In treating bruises a different procedure is
necessary. The broken tissue is concealed--beneath the skin and usually
under the surface muscles. Bathing with water and acetate of lead--a
quart of water and two tablespoonfuls of the acetate--will tend to
lessen the inflammation. In time you may have to open the swelling for
the pus to get out. After doing so, inject some wash for cleansing,
using one quart of water and a tablespoonful of chloride of zinc.
If the swelling remains, apply twice each month a salve made by using
one teaspoonful of biniodide of mercury and three tablespoonfuls of
lard. Wash occasionally, using the chloride of zinc solution.
=Leg Wounds.=--Cleanse the wound with a wash composed of one
tablespoonful of acetate of lead, one tablespoonful of sulphate of zinc,
four tablespoonfuls of tincture of arnica and one quart of water. Use
this wash frequently, every hour or so, during the first day. After that
three or four applications will be sufficient. The sore should be kept
lower than the skin during the healing process. If it tends to crowd up,
apply a tiny bit--as much as you can place on a one-cent piece--of
bichloride of mercury. This will assist in getting an even heal and the
skin will grow over, leaving no blemish or swelling.
=Maggots in Wounds.=--If the wound has been treated as suggested above
there is no possibility of any trouble from maggots. These come from a
lack of cleanliness and neglect. Of course, an animal often gets a wound
and the owner is not aware of the mishap. Wounds, more or less
infrequently treated, those made as the result of castration,
occasionally get infected with maggots.
When, for any cause, maggots are present, they must be got rid of at
once. A good plan is to use chloroform, either by spraying or by
throwing it in the wound in small drops from a sponge.
The danger from maggots can usually be avoided if a mixture composed of
one tablespoonful of turpentine, three tablespoonfuls of tar and two
tablespoonfuls of lard or fish oil be smeared all around the border of
the wound.