^397 — 



the fluid can escape ; the blow given to the skin being so great as 

 to set up adhesive inflammation, and a closure of the opening. 



(3.) Bone Spavin. — Consists in the sprouting out of irregular 

 bony matter from the bones of the joint, preventing their smooth 

 and proper aetion over one another, and causing lameness. This 

 bony growth sometimes attains a good size, and in some cases we 

 find one or two of the bones only involved ; in others nearly all 

 of them are afiected. The situation of bone spavin is on the 

 inside, and in front of the joint. 



Symptoms. When horses are what is called breeding bone spavin, 

 ordinarily persons think and say the lameness is in the hip (see 

 Hock), from the action which is reflected by the muscles of the 

 hip at every movement made by the hock-joint, and from the fact 

 that there is no enlargement as yet in the joint. The horse is lame 

 on starting, but gets better after a little while, and after standing 

 will start lame again. In the stable he shifts one hind leg after 

 another, and when resting the lame leg, he stands on the toe. 

 Pain and lameness cease when the joint is consolidated, although 

 remaining a little stiff. 



(4.) Occult Spavin. — This is a disease similar to bone spavin, 

 the difierence being that there is no enlargement of the joint 

 whatever, although the bones of the joint are all diseased, immov- 

 able and stiff. This seems to puzzle and perplex horsemen, be- 

 cause they cannot comprehend a bone spavin without an enlarge- 

 ment of the joint outside ; and consequently the poor horse is 

 sometimes blistered and tormented in every part of the leg, but 

 the right place. The cause, results, and efi'ects of this disease are 

 the same as in bone spavin, excepting that there is no enlarge- 

 ment. 



Treatment. For the two varieties of spavin, just described, the 

 treatment should be the same. In young horses, the red iodide 

 of mercury in ointment, is the proper treatment. One drachm of 

 bin-iodide of mercury, and one ounce of lard. Mix, and apply 

 once in a week, and lard the parts once a day, till the next 

 application. 



Old horses should have a liniment applied, once every second 

 day to the parts. Oil of olives, two ounces ; oil of turpentine, one 

 ounce ; creosote, one ounce • mix. This will relieve the pain, and 



