26S SPRAIN OF THE COFFIN-JOINT RINGBONE. 



the fore-part, both of the upper and lower pastern-bone&, as 

 well as mto the upper part of the coiFin-bone (/, Fig. o7) ; 

 and at the back of these bones the suspensory ligament is 

 expanded and inserted, while a portion of it goes over the ibre- 

 part of the upper pastern to reach the extensor tendon. These 

 attachments hi liront of the bones i:re seen in P'ig. 40, in which ci 

 represents the lower part of the shank-bone ; b the sessamoid- 

 bones ; c the upper pastern ; d the lower pastern ; and e the 

 coffin-bone ; f are tlie branches of the suspensory ligaments going 

 to unite with the extensor tendon ; g the long extensor tendon ; h 

 Lgaments connecting the two pastern-bones together ; and i the 

 lateral cartilages of the foot. 



SPRAIN OF THE COFFIIS'-JOINT. 



The proof of this is when the lameness is sudden, and the heal 

 and tenderness are principally felt round the coronet. Bleeding 

 at the toe, physic, fomentation, and blisters are the usual means 

 adopted. This lameness is not easily removed, even by a blister ; 

 and if removed, like sprains of the fetlock and of the back sinews, 

 it is apt to return, and finally produce a great deal of disorgani- 

 zation and mischief in the foot. Sprain of the coffin-jointsome- 

 times becomes a very serious affair. Not being always attended 

 by any external swelling, and being detected only by heat round 

 the coronet, the seat of the lameness is often overlooked by the 

 groom and the farrier ; and the disease is suftered to become con- 

 firmed before its nature is discovered. 



From violent or repeated sprains of the pastern or coffin-joints^ 

 or extension of the ligaments attached to other parts of the 

 pastern-bones, inflammation takes place in the periosteum, and 

 bony matter is formed, which often rapidly increases, and is re- 

 cognized by the name of =^ 



RINGBONE. 



Ringbone is is a deposit of bony matter in one of the pasterns, 

 and usually near the joint. It rapidly spreads, and involves not 

 only the pastern-bones, but the cartilages of .the foot, and spread- 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — Sprain of the coffin-joint is extremely rare, the 

 joint being so weU secured from injury by the horny box in which it is 

 cased. Its hgaments are, however, occasionally strained, which may be 

 detected by heat at the coronet and tenderness, when the joint is wrenched 

 laterally. When these symptoms are absent, we may safely conclude the 

 disease exists elsewhere. It is not this, but the navicular disease, which is 

 often mistaken for shoulder lameness. This disease, when it does occur 

 :)ften occasions ossifications of, and near, the side cartilages of the foot. 



