4 8 



HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



of cells, and sending branches between 

 the individuals composing each group. 

 In this manner the network, character- 

 istic of bone, is formed, the cells uniting 

 to form the permanent areolae and Haver- 

 sian canals. At first the contents of the 

 cells are transparent, then granular, and 

 finally opaque, from the pressure of amor- 

 phous mineral matter. The several ossi- 

 fied portions are quite distinct for a long 

 time in the young animal, and may read- 

 ily be separated by boiling or maceration. 

 HORSE, Skeleton, The Number of 

 Bones Composing the. — The skeleton is 

 composed of two hundred and forty -seven 

 separate bones, which are united by joints 

 to form the spine, thorax, pelvis, tail, and 

 fore and hind extremities. The spine is 

 finished anteriorly by the head, which is 

 divided into the cranium and face, and 

 contains the teeth. Suspended from the 

 head is the os hyoides, which completes 

 the number of bones. Thus : 

 The spine consists of 7 cervical, 18 

 dorsal, and 6 lumbar vertebras — 



Total.... 31 



The thorax is made up of the dorsal 

 vertebrae, with 18 ribs on each side, 

 and the sternum in the middle — 



Total 37 



The pelvis comprises 2 ossa innomi- 

 nata (or ilium, ischium, and pubes), 



and 1 sacrum — Total 3 



The tail contains on the average 17 



bones 17 



The fore extremity is made up on 

 each side of the scapula, humerus, 

 os brachii, and 8 carpal bones, 3 

 metacarpal, os suffraginis, os coro- 

 nae, os pedis, os naviculare, 2 ossa 

 sesamoidea — Total on both sides . 40 

 The hind extremity has the femur, 

 patella, tibia, fibula, 6 tarsal bones, 

 3 metatarsals, os suffraginis, os cor- 

 onae, os pedis, os naviculare, 2 ossa 



sesamoidea — Total 38 



Bones of the cranium 10 



Bones of the face and lower jaw 18 



Teeth 40 



Bones of the internal ear, 4 in each 



organ 8 



Os hyoides, or bone of the tongue, 

 made up of five sections 5 



Grand total 247 



HORSE, Diseases, General, Remarks. — 



The diseases of bone are not commonly 



attended by any constitutional disturb- 

 ance, and neither require an examination 

 of general symptoms, nor the adoption of 

 any but local treatment, beyond that at- 

 tention to the health which is always 

 necessary. They may all be included un- 

 der the heads of — 1st. Exostosis, or in- 

 creased growth of bone. 2d. Caries, or 

 ulceration. 3d. Anchylosis, or unnatural 

 union of two bones, in consequence of 

 exostosis, or caries, or both. 4th. Frac- 

 tures, or disunion by external force. Ma 

 lignant diseases of the bone also occur 

 very rarely in the horse, so that it will be 

 scarcely necessary to occupy any space 

 with their description, especially as they 

 are perfectly incurable. 



Exostosis is the result of increased ac- 

 tion in the nutrition of the part, and is 

 much more prevalent in young horses 

 than in old. Indeed, after six or seven 

 years of age it is very rarely met with, and 

 never attacks the bones at that age for the 

 first time. It may be recognized by a. 

 hard swelling of the part, which in recent 

 cases is painfu! on pressure; but some- 

 times its site cannot be reached with the 

 finger, and the disease can then only be 

 detected by its effects. A blow upon any 

 of the bones when unprotected by any- 

 thing but skin will produce inflammation 

 followed by exostosis ; but the most ordi- 

 nary cause is the over-stimulus of hard 

 work. Heavy horses are more prone to 

 exostosis than light ones, partly from the 

 weight of their bodies and their high lum- 

 bering action jarring their limbs in a 

 greater degree, but also from the more 

 spongy and open texture of their bones, 

 which admit of" the pressure of large blood 

 vessels within them, and are thus more 

 liable to congestion, and consequent mor- 

 bid secretion. Exostosis is shown in the 

 form of splints, ring and sidebone, and 

 ossified lateral cartilages, as well as in the 

 growths which occur occasionally in other 

 parts of the body which have received no 

 distinguishing name. The vitality of the 

 new growth in exostosis is less than that 

 of healthy bone, and as a consequence, 

 when excessive inflammation is set up in 

 the part, it will often die and be separated 

 by absorption. 



Caries (ulceration) occurs as a conse- 

 quence of inflammation, and in the horse 

 either results from external injury, as in 

 poll evil and fistulous withers, or from 



