242 THE HORSE. 



The opening of the joint being ascertained, the first and immediate care 

 is to close the orifice; for the fluid which separated and lubricated the 

 bones of the knee being suHered to flow out, they will be brought into 

 actual contact with each other; they will rub upon each other; the delicate 

 membrane with which they are covered will be highly inflamed ; the con- 

 slitution will be speedily aficcted, and a degree of fever will ensue «hat will 

 destroy the horse : and in the mean time, of all the tortures that can be 

 inflicted on the poor animal, none can equal that which accompanies 

 inflammation of the membranes lining the joints. 



The manner of closing the orifice must be left to the judgment of the 

 veterinary surgeon, who alone is capable of properly treating such a case. 

 It may be effected by a compress inclosing the whole of the wound, and 

 not to be removed for many days ; or it may be attempted by the old and 

 generally successful method of applying the hot iron over the wound, and 

 particularly over the spot where the ligament appears to be lacerated. A 

 poultice may then be placed on the part, and the case treated as a common 

 wound. Should the joint-oil continue to flow, the iron may be applied a 

 second, or even a third time. By the application of the iron, so much 

 swelling is produced on the immediate puncture, and in the neighbouring 

 parts, as mechanically to close and plug up the orifice. 



If, however, the opening into the joint be extensive, and the joint-oil 

 continues to flow, and the horse is evidently suffering much pain, humanity 

 will dictate that he should be destroyed. The case is hopeless. A high 

 degree of fever will ere long carry the animal off", or the inflammation will 

 cause a deposit of matter in the cavity of the joint which will produce 

 incurable lameness. 



The pain caused by the iron is doubtless great ; it is, however, necessary ; 

 but let no reader of "The Horse"' permit the torturing experiments of the 

 farrier to be tried, who will frequently inject stimulating fluids, and even 

 oil of vitriol, into one of the most sensible and irritable cavities in the 

 whole frame. 



A person well acquainted with the anatomy of the part will judge of the 

 probability of a favourable result, not merely by the extent, but by the 

 situation of the wound. If it is low down and opposite to the bottom row, 

 a small opening into the joint will be easily closed ; a larger one need not 

 cause despair, because there is little motion between the lower row and the 

 bones of the leg. If it be higii up, there is more danger, because there is 

 more motion. If it be situated opposite to the union of the two rows, the 

 result is most to be dreaded, because between these is the principal motion 

 of the joint, and that motion would not only disunite and irritate the external 

 wound, but cause dreadful friction between the bones brought into actual 

 contact with each other, through the loss of the joint-oil. 



When the skin has been lacerated, although the wound may be healed, 

 some blemish will remain. The extent of this blemish will depend on the 

 extent and nature of the original wound, and more especially on the nature 

 of the treatment which has been adopted. Every caustic application will 

 destroy more of the skin, and leave a larger mark. Should the blemish 

 be considerable, a mild blister may be applied over the part, after the 

 wound has healed. It will stimulate the hair to grow more rapidly and 

 thickly round the scar, and particularly hair of the natural colour ; and 

 by contracting the skin it will lessen the scar itself. Many persons have 

 groat faith in ointments, which are said to promote the growth of the hair. 

 If they have that property, it must be from stimulating the skin, in which 

 the roots of the hair are embedded. These ointments must contain a 

 small portion of blistering matter, in the form of turpentine, or the Spanish* 



