246 THE HORSE. 



seen or felt, or there is considerable thickening about them and betwAn 

 them, (by p, 255) and the leg is round instead of flat and deep, there has 

 been ^vhat is commonly, but improperly, called, 



SPRAIN OF THE BACK-SINEWS. 



These tendons are inclosed in a sheath of dense cellular substance, to 

 confine them in their situation, and to defend them from injury. Between 

 the tendon and the sheath there is a mucous fluid, to prevent friction : but 

 when the horse has been overworked, or put to sudden and violent exertion, 

 the tendon presses upon the delicate membrane lining the sheath, and 

 inflammation is produced, and a different fluid is thrown out, which coagu- 

 lates, and adhesions are formed between the tendon and the sheath, and 

 the motion of the limb is more difficult and painful. At other times, 

 from violent or long-continued exertion, some of the fibres which tie the 

 tendons down are ruptured. A slight injury of this nature is called a 

 sprain of the back-sinews or tendons ; and when it is more serious, the 

 horse is said to have broken down. It should be remembered, however, 

 that the tendon can never be sprained, because it is inelastic and incapable 

 of extension ; and the tendon, or its sheath, are scarcely ever ruptured, 

 even in what is called breaking down. The first injury is confined to 

 inflammation of the sheath, or rupture of a few of the attaching fibres. 

 The inflammation of the part, however, is often very great, the pain 

 intense, and the lameness excessive. The anguish expressed at every 

 bending of the limb, and the local swelling and heat, will clearly indicate 

 the seat of injury. 



In every serious affection of this kind, care should be taken that the 

 local inflammation does not produce general disturbance of the system ; and, 

 therefore, the horse should be bled and physicked. The bleeding may be 

 at the toe, by which an important local, as well as general effect will be 

 produced. The vessels of the part will be relieved, while fever will be 

 prevented. Let not the bleeding be performed in the usual farrier's way 

 of first paring down the sole, and then taking out a piece of it at the top of 

 the frog; in which case a wound is made often difficult to heal, and through 

 which fungous granulations from the sensible parts beneath will obstinately 

 spring: but after the sole has been well thinned, let a groove be cut with 

 the rounded head of a small drawing-knife, at the junction of the sole and 

 the crust (see z in the next cut, p. 249). The large vein at the toe will 

 thus be opened, or the groove may be widened backward until it be foimd. 

 When the blood begins to appear, the vein may be more freely opened, by 

 a small lancet thrust horizontally under the sole, and almost any quantity 

 of blood may be easily procured. The immersion of the foot in warm 

 water will cause the blood to flow more rapidly. When a suflScient quan- 

 tity has been drawn, a bit of tow may be placed in the groove, and the 

 shoe tacked on. The bleeding will be immediately stopped, and the wound 

 will readily heal. 



As a local application, let no hot farrier's oil come near the part, but let 

 the leg be well fomented with warm water two or three times in the day, 

 and half an hour at each time ; and, between the fomentations, let the leg 

 be inclosed in a poultice of linseed-meal. Any herb that pleases the owner 

 may be added to the fomentation, or vinegar, or Goulard's extract to the 

 poultice ; but the beneficial effect of both depends simply on the warmth 

 of the water and the moisture of the poultice. The first object which the 

 surgeon has in view, is to abate the inflammation of the part, and no means 



