SPRAINS OF TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS OF THE FORE- LEG. 339 



flinching are shown, when the foot comes to the ground, because then the 

 weight comes suddenly on the injured ligament. 



682. Sprains of the Flexor Tendons. 



Assuming that the symptoms indicate that the seat of lameness is in 

 the Flexor tendons, we must apply further tests to ascertain its exact 

 seat. 



There are, as the reader is aware, two Flexor tendons, one called the 

 Perforatus, the other called the Perforans. Both originate from the 

 muscles at the back of the leg; but the Perforans terminates at and is 

 inserted into the coronet bone, whilst the Perforans passing through the 

 Perforatus is continued down, and inserted into the inferior part of the 

 coffin bone. Of these two tendons the perforates is the rearmost and 

 the perforans is the anterior. 



Injury to the Perforatus (A, Plate 27) is indicated by a swelling or 

 curve at the back of the leg, because it lies rearmost and therefore any 

 swelling arising from inflammatory action finds room for expansion pos- 

 teriorly. Injury to the Perforans (B) on the other hand is indicated by 

 swelling on the sides, because, on account of the perforatus tendon in its 

 rear, it cannot so easily swell posteriorly. In most cases, however, we 

 generally find both tendons are implicated. 



Severe injuries of either of these tendons are easily seen and felt ; but 

 in slight cases, although some lameness may be apparent, there is often 

 need of careful and delicate manipulation in order to detect the seat of 

 injury. 



Injuries are most easily detected by manipulation, either when the leg 

 is held up and bent back, because in that position the tendons are re- 

 laxed and easily got between the fingers and felt ; or else by picking up 

 the other leg, when, the animal being compelled to stand on the injured 

 leg, the tendons will be braced up, and any inequality in them will be 

 more readily felt. 



When the sound leg is released, it will be noticed that the horse will 

 take the weight off the injured leg as soon as possible. 



In either case, pain will be evinced, when pressure is brought to bear 

 on the seat of injury. 



683. Sprain of Metacarpal ligament. 



The symptoms, which distinguish lameness arising from injury of the 

 Metacarpal ligament, in centra-distinction to that caused by sprain of the 

 Flexor tendons, were described in the latter part of the last paragraph 

 but one. 



The external signs, however, are not very perceptible. As this liga- 

 ment (C) lies in front of the Flexor tendons, there is rarely any external 

 swelling, except, and then only to a slight degree, laterally, and there 

 is but little perceptible heat. 



Any injury to it, though not very visible to the eye, may, however, be 

 detected in another way. As the material effused by the process of 



