STIFLE. 275 



The Os Femoris, or Thigh Bone (see P, Fig. 1), is long and 

 cylindrical, taking an oblique direction from above, downwards, 

 and from behind, forwards. At its upper extremities, and pro- 

 jecting from the body, is a thick flattened neck, terminating in a 

 large smooth hemispherical head, adapted to a hollow, in the su- 

 perior point of the haunch. 



This bone is cominonly called the Round Bone. It has, in 

 some rare instances, been dislocated and fractured. It is much 

 oftener sprained, but not so frequently as the groom or farrier 

 imagines. There is nothing peculiar in the lameness to detect 

 injury of this part, except, that the horse will drag his leg aftei 

 him. Injury of the round bone will be principally discovered by 

 heat and tenderness in the situation of the 'oint. 



A part so deeply situated is treated with Ufficnlty. Fomen- 

 tions should at first be used to abate the inflammation, and, aftei 

 that, an active blister should be applied. Strains of this joint 

 are not always immediately relieved, and the muscles of the limb 

 in some cases waste considerably : it therefore may be necessary 

 to repeat the blister, while absolute rest should accompany every 

 stage of the treatment. It may even be requisite to fire the part, 

 — or, as a last resort, a charge may be placed over the joint, and 

 the horse turned out for two or three months.* 



THE STIFLE. 



The stifle joint and the patella (answering to the knee-pan m 

 the human subject) are seen at p. 45, Fig. 1. 



The stifle joint is not often subject to sprain. The heat and 

 tenderness will guide to the seat of injury. Occasionally, disloca- 

 tion of the patella has occurred, and the horse drags the injured 

 limb after him, or rests it on the fetlock ; the aid of a veteri- 

 nary surgeon is here requisite. The muscles of the inside of 

 the thigh have sometimes been sprained. This may be detected 

 by diffused heat, or heat on the inside of the thigh above the stifle. 



* Note hy Mr. Spooner. — This disease is so extremely rare that we have 

 eeldom met with an instance. The joint is so strong, so firmly secured, and 

 so well protected, that it is almost impossible to become injm'ed without 

 dislocation occurring. Unless we can detect heat or tenderness about the 

 part, we are by no means justified in supposing that the round bone is the 

 seat of injury. For, although it used to be the case that all obscure lame- 

 nesses in the hind extremity were referred to some supposed disease in this 

 joint, we are now well assured by post mortem examinations that in these ob- 

 scure lamenesses the seat of disease is the hock joint. 



When the neighborhood of the hip joint is injured, there is external tender- 

 ness, evinced on pressure, and the mischief is produced by external causas 



