110 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



neck, and should they act well, a speedy cure 

 may be anticipated. But wnen from im- 

 proper management, matter has not only 

 formed, but has been suffered to remain, or 

 has only, evacuated itself by a superficial 

 opening eit^ler natural or artificial, and not 

 from one in a depending situation, whereby 

 accumulation of pus has taken place, and, in 

 consequence, the ligaments have taken on 

 disease, extending under the curvical ligament, 

 and having it hollow below. In such cases the 

 healthy secretion always ceases, and instead 

 a thin ichorous or glairy discharge is set up : 

 this ichorous matter penetrating itself into 

 the interstices of the muscles, sinuses become 

 formed in every direction, and if not speedily 

 relieved caries of the bones of the neck is 

 the consequence. From this neglect of the 

 disease, or the bad treatment of it, you not 

 infrequently see a Horse, having had this 

 infection, get. what is called, a stiff neck, 

 poking their nose and head out in a disagree- 

 able manner. Though I never had an oppor- 

 tunity of examining the vertebrae of a Horse thus 

 affected after death, I make no doubt that an- 

 chyloses had taken place between the first and 

 second vertebrae. However, to prevent these 

 disasters, we must proceed more activelv 

 to work ; and here I would recommend my 

 reader to call in an experienced veterinary 

 suigeon, who can handle the scalpel with 

 dexterity and confidence. Having cast your 

 Horse, proceed to a careful examination with 

 a probe and your finger the extent and direc- 

 tion the sinuses have made their course : here 

 you must take time, and ascertain the full 

 extent of the sinus that is formed. Do not 

 attempt to satisfy yourself by a kind of slight 

 of hand examination, but be certain. As you 

 have got your Horse confined, make much of 



this first ; but critical examination, for your cure 

 will depend greatly upon it, and, of course, 

 relieve the Horse considerably of pain. You 

 will find yoisr finger of much more service 

 than the probe ; therefore, carefully examine 

 the ulcer well with the finger, and this, more 

 especially, if caries should have taken place : 

 for this must be disected out before you can 

 possibly e.xpect a cure. These are things the 

 old farriers know nothing of, consequently, if 

 they could heal the external opening, they 

 imagined they had accomplished a great feat; 

 and hence the liability of the parts becoming 

 diseased again. Hard and callous edges 

 must be removed, and the smaller sinuses laid 

 open, so as to form a cavity. If all this be not 

 thoroughly attended to, and done as before 

 stated (for it cannot be made too impressive), 

 it will happen, that when the whole seems on 

 the point of healin -, a new tumour will sud- 

 denly arise, and frustrate all your hopes, which 

 renewed abscess, in every instance, arises from 

 caries bone being left, or some ligamentous 

 portion remaining. In this case, the experi- 

 enced veterinarian, who is expert with the 

 knife, and fully acquainted with the anatomy 

 of the parts, will not hesitate at the worst ot 

 cases. But iu the hands of the common far- 

 rier, much injury has been frequently done 

 from the injudicious use of the knife. I have 

 known even the curvical ligament to be di- 

 vided by these ignorant pretenders, who have 

 no character to lose ; consequently, grope fm 

 in ignorance for the paltry fee of a few shillings, 

 sooner than acknowledge themselves in error. 

 Instead, therefore, of hazarding any of these 

 evils, the practitioner will be justified i i this 

 state of the case to introduce setons, even to 

 the number of three or four on each side, 

 2:oini' down to the bottom of eacli sinus, lei 



