5U THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE 



needs tlic trained hand und eye of the expert whose intimate knowledge of 

 the anatoni)' of tlie joint enables liini by careful comparison and the particu- 

 lar action oi hock lameness to decide as to its nature. When developed, a 

 hard bony enlargement can be both seen and felt. 



yjd' 2'reatment should be directed to the abatement of the inflanmiation 

 which gives rise to jjain, and also to promote absorption of the new 

 growth. It is often asserted that the disease cannot be cured, and that a 

 spavined horse will always remain the subject of it, and therefore unsound. 

 But practically it is known that many a hock which has been the seat of 

 undoubted spavin loses all external ei>largement, and no lameness is shown 

 in it, although tried most severely through a series of years. Still on dis- 

 section after death, the ligaments will not show their natural white and 

 glistening structure, and the tarsal bones will be to a certain extent united 

 by anchylosis. In very bad cases there will be also caries of the articulatory 

 surfaces, and with it inflammation of the synovial membranes, which may 

 and often does exist without the carie.s. Now as these are much more 

 formidable diseases than exostosis, and far more diflicult either to cure or 

 palliate, it follows that although certain remedies will be generally success- 

 ful with genuine bone spavin (exostosis), yet the}^ will fail when the above 

 complication exists. This ulceration of cartilage is known as occult spavin, 

 and often puzzles experts to decide positively as to its existence. Experi- 

 ments have been recently made with the Rontgen rays which may lead to a 

 more certain method of diagnosis. A correspondent of The Field, July 18, 

 1896, writes : — 



" By the courtesy of the Pean of the Boyal A^eterinar}' College, Professor 

 J. M'Fadyean, I witnessed within the last few days further experiments in 

 the new photography by Professor Hobday and Dr. Rowland. This time 

 the subjects were a dead horse and a living donkey. Each exposure lasted 

 about five minutes. The parts examined were the near knee and hock of 

 the horse and the near hock of the ass. The photographs show well-marked 

 spavin in the anch^dosed condition of the hock joints. The results in each 

 case may be considered satisfactory, and give promise of considerable utility 

 in the future, after further experiment and experience shall have perfected 

 the application of the new photography to veterinary purposes. 



" The living animal — the ass — had to be subjected to chloroform ; and here 

 one of the great difliculties in applying the new science to animals arises. 

 They cannot be made to keep still long enough to be jihotographed by the 

 process without the use of anjesthetics, and even then the operation may not 

 at all times prove satisfactory. 



" Professor Hobday and Dr. Rowland are, I believe, the first — at least in 

 this country — to apply Rontgen rays to veterinary diagnosis." 



The treatment must therefore be adapted to the exact nature and extent 

 of the disease. Prior to the adoption of any plan the joint should be rested, 

 the outer heel of the shoe should be lowered, the corn should be taken awav, 

 and the system cooled by appropriate treatment. After these precautions 

 are taken, the next thing is to decide upon the remedies which will be suited 

 to the case. They consist in — 1st. Blistei*s, wdiich have a tendency to cause 

 absorption ; 2nd. Firing ; 3rd. Setons, with or without subcutaneous scarifica- 

 tion ; -tth. Division of the nerve. If there is simply a slight exostosis, with 

 little lameness, and no evidence of the joint being implicated, the biniodide of 



