308 CHAPTER 39. 



CHAPTER 39. 



SPLINT. 



(514. Of the fore- ley between the Knee and the Fetlock. 615. Nature of 

 Splint. 616. Mode of formation of Splint. 617. Causes of Splint. 618. 

 Position of Splint. 619. Incipient Splints. 620. Fully formed Splints. 

 621. Treatment. 622. Splints cannot be removed. 623. Of Splints which 

 cause permanent lameness. 624. To detect Splints. 625. Degree of im- 

 portance to be attached to Splints. 



614. Of the fore-leg between the Knee and the Fetlock. 



As Splint, like spavin, generally arises from or at least is connected 

 with some structural weakness, we propose in the first place briefly to 

 consider the conformation of the fore-leg between the knee and the 

 fetlock. 



The fore-leg immediately below the knee is made up, as regards its 

 osseous structures, of three bones, namely, the great metacarpal, or 

 shank, or cannon bone, and two smaller bones called the splint or small 

 metacarpals. Plate 25. 



These bones are not united together, but each of the small bones is 

 attached to the great or shank bone by interosseous ligaments. The 

 object of this sort of attachment appears to be to allow a very limited 

 power of motion or elasticity between the bones. A similar mode of 

 attachment is found in other parts of the body where a certain degree of 

 elasticity is required, as for instance between the bodies of the vertebrae. 



In the fore-leg the elasticity conferred by this peculiarity of conforma- 

 tion is useful in diminishing concussion. But this sort of attachment, 

 though useful for the above purpose, gives less strength than absolute 

 union of the bones. 



615. Nature of Splint. 



Splint is an exostosis or deposit of bone, either between one or other 

 of the small bones and the shank, or upon any of the three bones. The 

 cause of the abnormal growth is irritation and inflammation either in the 

 interosseous ligaments, or in the periosteum, or in the bones themselves. 



As the greatest strain and concussion always falls on the inside, on 

 account of its being more under the centre of the superincumbent weight, 

 we generally find the exostosis on or towards the inner side, except in 

 horses which turn their toes in, and thereby throw the greater weight on 

 the outer side. 



Splints, for the purpose of explanation, are sometimes divided into two 

 classes, namely, those which arise from sprain and inflammation of the 



