WIND-GALLS. 121 



appearance so frequently noticed about the legs of horses 

 which have been hard worked. (See plate 6, fig. 8, c.) 

 There is a beautiful provision in Nature, in placing little 

 bags between the tendons and other parts where they are 

 exposed to pressure or friction. These sacs contain* a 

 mucous fluid of a similar kind to the synovia, or joint-oil 

 which oozes from the bags and lubricates the tendons of 

 the muscles. In consequence of violent action and strain- 

 ing the tendons, these bags get injured, become inflamed, 

 swollen, and hard, the tendons being generally inserted 

 near the joints, where there is more pressure and motion, 

 and consequently these bags are more liable to injury. 

 They become inflamed, and during this state the horse is 

 generally lame to a greater or less degree. However, unless 

 these sacs attain a very large size, the horse cannot be 

 reckoned unsound, as few are entirely free from wind-galls, 

 — which appellation they acquired from the fancy that they 

 contained wind. — It was an old practice to cut or probe 

 them, so that the air might escape. This has, in many 

 instances, produced violent inflammation, and has been the 

 death of many fine horses. 



Eemedies. — Unless wind-galls are large and interfere with 

 the actions of the leg, we would recommend that no treat- 

 ment should be attempted. The first appliance to a large 

 wind-gall should be a bandage or roller of flannel, and 

 under it, immediately over the swollen parts, a soft pad 

 should be introduced, and firmly bound down. The band- 

 age should be wetted with the same kind of lotion recom- 

 mended in sprain of the back sinews, page 101. This 

 treatment in most instances will cause the wind-galls to 

 disappear ; but unfortunately they are liable to return, 

 especially if the animal is hard worked. A blister is more 

 likely to effect a cure, as it generally has the power of 



