INFLAMED TENDINOUS SHEATHS 525 



rubbed with equal parts of soap liniment and spirit of turpentine, and it 

 should be assisted to stand for the purpose of sucking at regular short 

 intervals if it is unable to help itself. In aggravated cases, however, the 

 foal is not likely to I'ecover its general strength, and it may \yi better to 

 destroy it, but so long as it can stand and feeds well, hopes may be entertained 

 of the joints recovering. 



INFLAMED TENDINOUS SHEATHS 



Every practical horseman is aware that the sheaths in which the 

 back sinews and other tendons are lodged are liable to inflammation and 

 thickening, without the tendon itself being involved. By passing the 

 hand down the leg, an irregular network may be felt surrounding the 

 tendons, which move up and down without disturbing it ; and the surround- 

 ing cellular membrane is also thickened, and become hard and unyielding. 

 There may be considerable heat about the part, but often it is quite cool ; 

 and the disease may continue for months without any great lameness, and 

 with nothing to draw attention to it (excepting a slight stiffness on leaving 

 the stable) but the sensation communicated to the hand. At length, an 

 unusually severe day's work sets up active inflammation, the leg rapidly fills, 

 and there is so much lameness as to cause the horse to be thrown by. 



Treatment. — In the early stage Captain Hayes recommends a compress of 

 dry cotton- wool under a bandage, applied with a moderate degree of pressure. 

 It is often surprising what this simple remedy will accomplish, but if it fail 

 an evaporating lotion may be tried. Linen bandages should be saturated 

 with it and frequently renewed, and only walking exercise permitted. In 

 established cases where the thickening has become permanent a fly-blister 

 may be necessary and a two or three months' rest. Chamois leather adapted 

 to the shape of the leg and neatly sewn on is used both as a preventive and 

 curative measure. 



INFLAMED BURS^E MUCOSiE 



These synovial bags are liable to inflammation, either from hard work, 

 as in windgalls and thoroughpin, or from blows, as in capped hock and elbow. 

 The latter take on the character of serious abscesses. In all horses a 

 subcutaneous bursa exists on the cap of the elbow and hock ; and these 

 become inflamed and filled with a very thin synovia, when they are bruised. 

 They never extend beyond a certain size, and have no tendency to burst ; 

 nor are they inclined to a healthy termination of their own accord, but go 

 on in the same condition from year to year. 



Capped elbow can be successfully operated upon when it has passed the 

 stage when friction may be expected to reduce it, and fresh injury prevented 

 by a pad or cushion made specially to prevent bruising when the horse is 

 lying down. The swelling, which is at first of a fluid nature, is sometimes 

 cured by passing a drainage tube through it from above downwards. It 

 .may consist of india-rubber piping about a quarter of an inch in diameter, 

 and having notches at frequent short intervals. Irritant agents are forced 

 into the tube, and in this way the secreting membrane is destroyed. With- 



