96 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



greatest of caution, and if appearances are 

 favourable, apply over the wound a plegit of 

 tow, and a large adhesive j^iaister over the 

 whole ; then, again your padding and roller as 

 before, in this case bleed copiously as soon as 

 vou have adjusted your first dressing; if mor- 

 tification should have taken place, the Horse 

 will soon give you sufficient proof of it ; but, 

 should better fortune attend you, you must 

 bring him on by degrees, and not commence 

 feeding him too freely for some time. 



WOUNDS OF JOINTS. 



Wounds of the large joints, made either by 

 puncture or incision, are of a very dangerous 

 nature, as these parts are surrounded with 

 tendinous and membranous structures ; which, 

 thouffh not very sensible in a sound state, 

 yet, when inflamed become exceedingly sen- 

 sible, often attended with vehement pain and 

 fever. 



Superficial wounds of the joints are often 

 disagreeable cases ; but the danger is always 

 increased when the injury penetrates the cap- 

 sular ligament. This event may be detected 

 by the introduction of a probe, and frequently 

 by a discharge of the synovia, which is secreted 

 by the inner membrane of the capsular liga- 

 ment of the joint, for the purpose of facilitating 

 ts motion. But as a discharge of a similar 

 kind may proceed from mere wounds of such 

 (•bursse mucosae) synovial bags, such as 

 windgalls, &c., that lay under the tendons of 

 muscles, in the vicinity of joints, our judgment 

 might be deceived, were we unacquainted with 

 the situation of these little membranous bags. 

 Wounds which penetrate large joints, must be 

 looked upon as much more dangerous, than 

 tliose in which only these bursa are opened. 



Almost all the joints of the Horse are liable 



to be laid open, and their cavity exposed. I. 

 have seen the stifle, the pastern, and knee, at 

 one time, completely exposed ; but the knee 

 joint is, of all others, the most frequently liable 

 to this accident ; it does sometimes occur to 

 the shoulder joint, but this very rarely. When 

 a joint is penetrated, there is an escape of 

 synovia, or, as it is commonly called, joint-oil ; 

 now, in consequence of the escape of this fluid, 

 it brings the ends of bones together, occasion- 

 ing, in conjunction with the air getting in, 

 considerable inflammation through the whole 

 extent of the capsular surface, causing that 

 exquisitely tender sensation the Horse feels, 

 on having the joint touched ; in some cases the 

 fever runs so high as to prove fatal *. When 

 a joint is early discovered, after being 

 penetrated, the synovia will flow white and 

 pure, or it may have a little tinge of blood in 

 it ; but, if the accident is not discovered for 

 three or four days, you will find the joint-oil 

 to put on a yellowish colour, and the dis- 

 charge be considerably increased. If means 

 be not speedily taken to close the external 

 opening, coagulable lymph is thrown out, and 

 in consequence of the inflammation being 

 great, the vessels may inosculate together, 

 and in ail probability a stiff' joint might super- 

 vene. In some cases, the pain and irritation 

 are so great, that the animal either sinks 

 under it, or becomes a mere skeleton. But, 

 this in a great measure is not to be looked 

 at with so much surprise, when we come to 



* I recollect, whilst at the Royal Veterinary College, a 

 large cart-horse was brought in with an open joint, ulti- 

 mately the opening closed, new granulations formed, and 

 a wound about the size of half-a-crown was the conse- 

 quence ; this wound was ordered to be dressed with spirits 

 of turpentine, which was accordingly done, but from symp- 

 tomatic fever, the Horse died in three or four days. 



