The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

70 The Management and Treatment of the Horse,
is injured ; if it is not, dress it with carbolised oil, put
on a pellet of tow or cotton wool, and bandage up. If
the wound is not very deep, it should not be undone
for three days ; then the bandage may be taken
off, and the wound kept clean, and if dressed with
carbolised oil every day, it will soon be well.
Horses with broken knees should not have walking-
exercise until the wounds are nearly well, for fear of
opening the wound. If the wound is deep, as is often
the case, and a clear fluid running- from it resembling
glycerine, you can safely conclude that the joint is
injured, and that the synovia or joint oil is running.
This is very difficult to stop, and in many cases leaves
the animal with a stiff joint. The plan I have always
adopted when joint oil is running is to fill the wound
with lumps of socotorine aloes, put a pellet of tow
over the wound dipped in carbolised oil, and bind up.
I often fold two Field newspapers together and bind
them on the horse's leg, they making admirable
splints, having substance enough to prevent the horse
bending its leg, and easily adapting itself to the shape
of the leg without cutting or otherwise injuring the
skin. (In cases of accident, if a man breaks his arm or
leg, if those near will bind the limb up with a bandage,
and use a newspaper or two for splints before attempting
to move, many simple fractures will be prevented from
becoming compound.) Sometimes the above treatment
will not stop the flow of synovia. After being repeated
daily for four or five days, it will then be necessary to
use strong means— the most effectual is pure carbolic
acid. This should be injected into the wound with a