LAMli^ESS: MS CAUSES AND TRK-\TMENT. 385 



however, will iilso be moi'e superficisil. The use of the filing irim 

 jipplied deej)!}' with fine points is then to be strongly recoiniiiended, 

 to be followed by blistei-s and various liniments. This course may 

 •Generally be relied on as <iuit<' sure to be followed by satisfactory 

 results. 



While the treatment is in progress it will, of coui-se, be necessary 

 to secure the aninjal in such manner that a recurrence of the injury 

 will Ix! impossible from simihir causos to those which were previously 

 responsible. 



CAPPED HOCK. 



A bad hal)it of rubbing ( r striUing the partitions of their stalls 

 with their iiocks prevails among s« uie horses, with the result of an 

 injury which shows itself on the upper points of those liones, the 

 sunnnit of the ( s calcis. From its analogy to the condition of capped 

 elbow the designation of capped hock has been applied to this con- 

 dition. 



^t/mptums. — A capped hock is therefore but the development of a 

 bruise at the pr,int of the heck, which if many times repeated may 

 excite aji inflammatory proce.ss, with all its usual external symptoms 

 of swelling, heat, soreness, and the rest of the now-familiar phenom- 

 ena. The swelling is at iii>;t dill'used, extending more or less on the 

 exterior pa it of the hock, and in a few instances running up along 

 the tendons and muscles of the back of the shank. Soon, however, 

 unless the initating causes are continued and lepeated, the edema 

 diminishes, and. becon)ing moie defined in its external outlines, leaves 

 the hock cai)})ed with a hygroma. The hygroma, at the very begin- 

 ning of the trouble, contains a bloody serositv which soon becomes 

 strictly serum, and this, through the influence of an acute inflanmia- 

 tory action, is liable to undergo a cliange which convei-ts it into the 

 usual purident product of suj)puration. 



The external appejirance ought to be suflicient to determine the 

 diagnosis, but thei-e are a few signs which may contribute toward a 

 nicer identification of tlie lesion. The capjH'd hock, wiiether under 

 the appejirance of an acute, edematous swelling, or as a bloody serous 

 collection, or as a simple mmous cv.st. does not give rise to any remai'k- 

 able local manifestation other than such as have already passed under 

 our survey in considering similar ca.ses, nor will it be liable to inter- 

 fere with tlie functions which belong to the member in <^iuestion, un- 

 less it assumes very large dimensions and on each side of the tendons, 

 as well as on the summit of the bone, lint if the inflammation is 

 quite high, if supjmration is developing, if there is a true absco&s, 

 or — and this is a common comjilication — especially when the kicking 

 or rubbing of the animal is fre<iuently recurring, then, bcside-s the 

 3G4+r— 10 '2o 



