STRUCTURE AND DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT. 367 
Treatment.—Cure or alleviation is possible only in the first stages of 
the disease, so that on the occurrence of lameness for, which the cause 
is not obvious, careful search should be made in the localities in which 
splint, ring-bone, or spavin may occur. Tenderness and perhaps swelling 
may be detected by careful examination. The first requisite is rest. 
Bathing with warm water should be prompily and perseveringly resorted 
to. The foot should be put into a bucket of warm water, which should 
be applied with a sponge to the locality of inflammation. Should there 
be pain, as shown by general uneasiness and constant movement of the 
limb, a poultice should be applied, moistened freely with a mixture com- 
posed of equal parts of the tiactures of aconite root, opium, and bella- 
donna. The application of a mixture of one part chioroform and two 
parts sweet-oil may act asa revulsive. Later, when the pain has sub- 
sided, the tenderness somewhat abated, and only swelling remains, an oint- 
ment of one part of the iodide of lead with eight parts of lard will be found 
useful in removing the swelling and remaining engorgements of the 
parts. When put again to use, the animalshould be at first gently ex- 
ercised and brought gradually to his work. 
‘The abuse in driving, which gives rise to periostitis and the deposi- 
tion of bone about the joints, may result also in ulceration of the ecarti- 
lages and bones entering into the composition of the joints. The parts 
most usually affected are the knee, the hock, and the joints of the navicu- 
lar bone, with the coronet or coffin-bone. The commencement of the 
disease is an inflammation of the synovial membrane which lines the 
bony surfaces between which the motion of the joints occurs. Prolonged 
lameness follows. Perfect rest at this time with proper treatment may 
remove the condition, but by neglect, and continued use, the disease 
is readily carried to its advanced stages. The inflammation extends to 
the cartilages covering the joint-surfaces of the bones. The vitality ot 
this tissue is so low that it readily breaks down under the inflammatory 
action, and is removed by the ulcerative process. From this condition 
perfect recovery is impossible. The best result possible is the formation 
of a blind spavin, by the cementing of two opposite surfaces of bone 
by an intermediate bony deposit. Instead of this,the ulcerative pro- 
cess may extend to the bony tissue itself. In Fig. 25 may beseen this 
ulcerative disease as it invades the navicular bone. 
‘That disease of the navicular bone may and does exist is undoubted, © 
as witness the two diseased bones in Fig. 25, but that itis one-tenth 
part as frequent as some claim admits of great doubt. Navicular 
disease, like “ shoulder lameness,” has been made to answer all obscure 
causes of lameness. Except as a constitutional disease, it can only 
occur, under any ordinary circumstances, in a wide-spread and flat foot. 
In ordinary forms of the coffin-bone it is raised so high above injury 
that one can hardly conceive it to happen from this cause alone. The 
only condition from which it can ordinarily arise is inflammation of the 
synovial membrane. This may be excited by a bruise, communicated 
through the sensitive sole and frog, and also the tendon of the perforans. 
It more frequently occurs, however, as the result of violent and long- 
continued movement, as in fast driving over long distances; and even 
in this case there probably exists a constitutional disposition to disease. 
The disease is one fruit of inflammation of a low grade, terminating in 
ulceration of the cartilage, and finally of the bone. Itin no way dif 
fers from ulceration of the bones in other joints except in its termination. 
Being on the under surface of the bone on which moves the tendon, it 
cannot recover by becoming cemented to a fellow-bone; so that it is 
doubtful whether navicular disease, when it has proceeded to the extent 
