BOXE-SPAYIX. 221 



If the examination is made while there is only inflammation 

 of the part aifected, or before a perceptible tumor is formed, 

 it must not be hastily performed. The thumb should be placed 

 against the splint-bone and pressure made in every direction. 

 Mere flinching, at first, must not be mistaken for positive indi- 

 cation of pain, but tenderness must be clearly indicated. 



The lameness will continue after the tumor has commenced 

 to form, until the membrane which covers the bone, called the 

 periosteum, and under which the tumor is situated, has accom- 

 modated itself to the pressure of the tumor which had stretched 

 it. After this the lameness subsides, or only remains in conse- 

 quence of the interference of the tumor with the joint. The 

 lameness does not at all seem proportioned to the size of the 

 tumor, often a small tumor being accompanied with very great 

 lameness, and a large one with but little or none. A peculiarity 

 of the lameness of spavin is, that it is intermitting, (goes and 

 comes), the horse being very lame for a time, and then, in a 

 little while, quite free from it. A horse may be quite lame 

 when first taken out of the stable, but become entirely free 

 from lameness after a little exercise. This peculiarity of 

 spavin lameness should never be lost sight of; and if a horse is 

 suspected, he should always be examined in the morning before 

 he has been exercised, or when standing awhile after exercise. 

 A variety of spavin may be met with in which the bony de- 

 posit commences in the cartilage between the bones of the 

 hough. This may greatly puzzle any but the most experienced 

 observer. The means of detecting this are, the heat and ten- 

 derness about the part, the irregular character of the lame- 

 ness, the peculiar manner in which the horse lifts his limb, 

 and, finally, the absence of any other cause of the lameness. 

 This case may progress until the joints have become exten- 

 sively anchylosed, or stiffened, before the tumor appears, but 

 when it does manifest itself, it will be on the inside of the leg. 



Causes. — The investigation of the causes of spavin is a sub- 

 ject of more importance than the tracing of its symptoms or 



