VVIND-GALLS. 201 



In examining a horse for the purchase, the closest attention 

 should be paid to the appearance of the flex or tendons. Li 

 there is any thickening of the substance around them, it shows 

 that the horse has been strained, and is not sound. He has 

 been patched up for awhile, but will fail again when severe 

 exertion is required from him. 



WIND-GALLS. 



In the neighborhood of the fetlock there are occasionally found 

 considerable enlargements, oftener on the hind-leg than the fore- 

 one, which are denominated, ivind-galls, (e. Fig. 41). Between 

 the tendons and other parts, and wherever the tendons are ex- 

 posed to pressure or friction, and particularly about their ex- 

 tremities, little bags or sacs are placed, containing and suffering 

 to ooze slowly from them a mucous fluid to lubricate (make 

 slippery) the parts. From undue pressure, and that most fre- 



sequently produce first a straiglit or knuckling, and afterwards an over 

 shot fetlock, so that the animal is rendered useless, and requires, in order 

 to restore him to any degree of usefulness, the performance of an opera- 

 tion denominated 



JDiuision of the Flexor tendons, the purpose of which is actually to 

 lengthen the sinews, and thus restore the fetlock to its original position. 

 The operation is performed midway between the knee and the fetlock, 

 there being there no sheath of any consequence, and no synovial cavity to 

 to be opened. The tendons being divided recede to the extent of from one 

 to two inches, which space is, iu the course of a month, filled up with new 

 tendinous substance thrown out from the divided extremities of the 

 sinews. 



In the ordinary strains of the flexor tendons the seat of injury is usually 

 either midway between the knee and the fetlock, or somewhat nearer the 

 latter joint than the former. There is every possible variety as to the 

 amount of injury, varying from a slight lameness and a trivial enlargement 

 to a very considerable swelling, and excessive pain, inflammation, and 

 lameness. It has been doubted whether the sinews themselves are actually 

 enlarged, many supposing that the swelling is confined to their sheathy in- 

 vestments. The writer, however, is assured from numerous dissections, 

 as well as from the operation before alluded to of dividing the sinews, that 

 they actually become both inflamed and enlarged. 



When the lameness and enlargement are excessive, the mischief is de- 

 nominatea in racing stables a break-down ; but in such instances this serious 

 mischief is nearly always preceded by a slight strain, which is allowed to 

 pass either unobserved or neglected, for we often find that no men are so 

 careless and neglectful in this respect as those who are intrusted with the 

 most valuable of all horses. 



In these very severe cases the most energetic measures should be 

 adopted, such as copious bleeding from the arm, repeated if necessary once 

 or twice ; constant warm fomentations for some hours at a time ; physic, 

 and after some days, cold applications to the leg, continued without inter- 

 mission. By such treatment, the writer has succeeded in restoring the 

 animal to hunting work, when strained to such a degree as to be incapable 

 of standbg on the leg for a week. 



