LIST OP SPECIFICS AND REMEDIES. 69 



don. There is a great deal of weight thrown on 

 this bone and from this navicular bone on the ten- 

 don, and there is considerable motion or play be- 

 tween them in the bending and extension of the 

 pasterns. 



It is easy to conceive, that from sudden concus- 

 sion or from rapid and over-strained motion, and 

 at a time \ihen, from rest and relaxation, the 

 parts have not adapted themselves to the violent 

 motion required, there may be excessive play be- 

 tween the bone and tendon, and the delicate mem- 

 brane which covers the bone or the cartilage of 

 the bone, may become bruised and inflamed and 

 destroyed ; and that all the painful effects of an 

 inflamed and open joint may result, snd the horse 

 be incurably lame. Numerous desections have 

 shown that this joint thus formed by the tendon 

 and bone, has been the frequent and almost inva- 

 riable seat of these obscure lamenessess. The 

 membrane covering the cartilage becomes in- 

 flamed and ulcerated ; the cartilage itself is ulcer- 

 ated and eaten away, the bone has become cari- 

 ous, and bony adhesions have taken place between 

 the navicular and pastern and coffin-bones, and 

 this part of the foot has become completely dis- 

 organized and useless. 



SYMPTOMS. The degree of lameness is various ; 

 the horse may show lameness the first hundred 

 steps, or the first mile or two, and then less or 

 scarcely at all ; he is inclined to " point " or keep 

 the affected foot in advance of the other when 

 standing ; he may show lameness on stone or 

 pavement and not on turf or ground ; if both feet 

 are badly affected, the horse favors his heels, has 

 short action, and wears away the toes of his shoes, 

 leaving the heels undiminished in thickness ; the 

 hind-feet may be kept well under him to diminish 



