, SIDEBONES. 291 



but little with the motion of the limb, a smaller growth, if situated 

 under the tendon, may become the cause of considerable and con- 

 tinued pain. 



A ringbone is doubtless a worse evil than a splint. Its growth, its 

 location, its tendency to increased development, its exposure to the 

 influence of causes of renewed danger, all tend to impart an unfavor- 

 able cast to the prognosis of a case and to emphasize the imj^or- 

 tance and the value of an early discovery of its presence and possible 

 growth. Even when the discovery has been made, it is often the 

 case that the truth has come to light too late for effectual treatment. 

 Months may have elapsed after the first manifestation of the lame- 

 ness before a discovery has been made of the lesion from which it 

 has originated, and there is no recall for the lapsed time. And by 

 the uncompromising seriousness of the discouraging prognosis must 

 the energy and severity of the treatment and the promptness of its 

 administration be measured. The j^eriostitis has been overlooked; 

 an}'^ chance that might have existed for jareventing its advance to the 

 chronic stage has been lost ; the osseous formation is established ; ths 

 ringbone is a fixed fact, and the indications are urgent and pressing. 



Treatment. — The j^reventive treatment consists in keeping colts 

 well nourished and in trimming the hoof and shoeing to properly bal- 

 ance the foot, and thus prevent an abnormal strain on the ligaments. 

 Even after the ringbone has developed, a cure may sometimes be occa- 

 sioned by proper shoeing directed toward straightening the axis of 

 the foot as viewed from the side by making the wall of the hoof from 

 the coronet to the toe continuous with the line formed by the front 

 of the jjastern. As long as inflammation of the periosteum and liga- 

 ments remains, a sharp blister of biniodide of mercury and canthari- 

 des may do good if the animal is allowed to rest for four or five 

 weeks. If this fails, some success may be accomplished by point 

 firing in two or three lines over the ringbone. It is necessary to touch 

 the hot iron well into the bone, as superficial firing does little good. 

 When all these measures have failed to remove the lameness, or when 

 the animal is not worth a long and uncertain treatment, a competent 

 veterinarian should be engaged to perform double neurectomy, high 

 or low, of the plantar nerves, or neurectomy of the median nerve as 

 indicated by the seat of the lesion. 



SIDEBONES. 



On each side of the bone of the hoof — the coffinbone — there are 

 normally two suj)plementary organs which are called the cartilages of 

 the foot. They are soft, and though in a degree elastic, yet somewhat 

 resisting, and are implanted on the lateral wings of the coffinbone. 

 Evidently their office is to assist in the elastic expansion and contrac- 

 tion of the posterior part of the hoof, and their healthy and normal 



