212 Common Diseases of the Horse 



Early treatment, however, must be practised, or a permanently 

 large knee is likely to result. Hot-water fomentations should be 

 applied as often and as long a time as possible. They should be 

 practically continuous. The best method is for the attendant to 

 get two swabs and a bucket of hot water and bathe the injured 

 knee with gentle pressure, always from above downwards. During 

 the night hot cloths may be put on and covered with a mackintosh. 

 When a hardening of the injured part follows, blistering with a 

 mixture of red and black ointment may be tried, or it may be 

 painted night and morning with tincture of iodine, or an even 

 stronger solution, such as equal parts of the tincture and liniment. 

 It is very necessary before applying these remedies that the hair 

 should be removed as closely as possible. It is rarely advisable to 

 open a big knee, as the wound is long in healirrg, and often leaves 

 more disfigurement than the original injury would do if left to itself. 

 Time often effects a cure, and the writer has known several 

 instances in which big knees have disappeared in the course of a 

 year or so. It may be mentioned that bumped knee is often 

 caused by the horse striking it against the manger. Owners should, 

 therefore, take notice of their stable fittings. 



Broken Knee 



This occurs when the skin is broken and a wound caused. 

 When the latter is superficial it should be well cleansed by apply- 

 ing a moderate force of water through the hose-pipe, and after- 

 wards treated with dilute disinfectants for a day or so. One part to 

 20OO of a solution of corrosive sublimate, or one tablet of chinosol in 

 a quart of water, make excellent lotions. This may be followed by 

 dry dressings, such as iodoform and boracic acid. 



The scab which forms requires removing periodically, the 

 animal's head fastened up and rest allowed. When a deep wound 

 is inflicted, a danger arises that injury has been caused to the oil 

 sheath of the tendon, or that the knee joint itself has been pene- 

 trated, when there will be an escape of synovia (joint oil). In the 

 former case the condition is not generally to be regarded as serious, 

 but in the latter open joint is caused, and the outlook is then very 

 grave. 



Sometimes considerable difficulty occurs in discriminating be- 

 tween open tendon sheath and open joint ; but, as a rule, one is not 

 left long in doubt, as, in the latter case, unless the utmost skill is 

 exercised, inflammation of the joint supervenes and considerable 

 constitutional disturbances result. 



