depth, it throws but little light on the extent or exact nature of the
internal injury. For this reason all punctured wounds should invariably be
carefully searched by means of a probe or some substitute devised for the
occasion, such as a piece of wire with a smooth blunt end, or a piece of
hard wood shaped for the purpose. Stitching is not admissible in the case
of punctured wounds. After thoroughly cleansing the opening of the wound
and its surroundings, tincture of iodin should be injected directly into
the wound.

If a punctured wound is not very deep, and when the bruising and laceration
are slight, it is possible for healing to take place by adhesion, and this
should always be encouraged, as the process of repair by this method is far
superior to that by granulation, which will be referred to later. With this
object in view, the animal should be kept as quiet as possible. A dose of
physic, such as a pound of Glauber's or Epsom salt, should be administered,
and warm antiseptic fomentations or poultices, when this is practicable,
applied frequently to the surface of the wound.

In wounds of this description the process of repair may be complicated by
the appearance of exuberant granulations, popularly known as "proud flesh,"
which is really an overgrowth of new tissue--granulation tissue; but these
should not be interfered with unless they continue after the acute stage of
inflammation has been subdued. If, after this, they persist, they may be
treated with a 10 per cent solution of sulphate of copper (bluestone) or
nitrate of silver (lunar caustic) in water.

CONTUSED OR LACERATED WOUNDS.--These are usually caused by a blow with some
blunt instrument or by falls. The seriousness depends largely on the depth
of the injury, and treatment should be directed to allaying the
inflammation and preventing the consequent tendency to sloughing. To this
end soothing applications, such as antiseptic fomentations and poultices,
are plainly indicated.

METHODS OF HEALING.--Technically these may be divided into a number of
distinct processes, but practically we may speak of them as two only,
namely, by primary union, or adhesion, and by granulation. As suppuration
is not so liable to occur in cattle as in horses, healing by the former and
more speedy process is much more common in the first-named species, more
particularly in clean-cut or incised wounds, provided they have been
stitched within 12 hours from the time the injury