A DICTIONARY. 



249 



synovia ensues. Mr. Percival remarks 

 " that, in many cases of open joint (com- 

 monly called so), there is no division nor 

 injury whatever of the capsular ligament ; 

 but merely the exposure of some bursa mu- 

 cosa placed between the joint and the ex- 

 ternal wound : the discharge is of the same 

 kind as in the former case, and we can only 

 determine which it is by carefully probing 

 the wound. Most of all, we are likely to 

 make this mistake in the shoulder joint and 

 hock, when heat and swelling are present. 

 From the acute sensibility of ligamentous 

 parts when inflamed, the system quickly, 

 and almost invariably, sympathizes ; so that, 

 in all severe cases of this nature, symptom- 

 atic fever supervenes, the pulse becomes 

 accelerated, the horse heaves at the flanks, 

 refuses his food, and shows symptoms of 

 the most affecting suffering. It must be 

 borne in mind that, although a joint be not 

 open in the first instance, subsequent slough- 

 ing may expose its cavity. Now, the ordi- 

 nary effects of disease in the synovial 

 membrane are, first, a preternatural secre- 

 tion of synovia, — hence the profuse dis- 

 charge observed in these cases ; second, an 

 effusion of adhesive matter into the cavity 

 of the joint; third, a thickening of the 

 synovial membrane, a conversion of it into 

 a substance resembling gristle, and an effu- 

 sion of adhesive matter, and probably 

 serum, into the cellular substance around, 

 by which the external parts and those of 

 the joints are firmly cemented together. 

 In the latter stage the disease commonly 

 extends itself to the cartilaginous surfaces ; 

 they exfoliate, leaving the extremities of the 

 bones denuded, to grate on each other as 

 often as the joint is moved. The bones, in 

 their turn, throw out deposits from their 

 ends around the joint, — a process that ulti- 

 mately ensues, and anchylosis is the result." 

 The indication to be fulfilled is to pro- 

 mote adhesion by bringing the edges to- 

 gether and confining them in contact, either 

 by taking a few stitches, or shaving the hair 

 off" around the parts and applying strips of 

 adhesive plaster. The parts may have a 

 pledget of lint bound on, moistened with 



32 



healing balsam ; and, if the limb will admit 

 of it, a splint may be bound to the back part 

 of it, so as to prevent all possibility of flex- 

 ion. If union cannot be produced by this 

 means, the parts may be poulticed with 

 astringents. The object is to close the 

 joint, and promote granulation. If the 

 parts are inactive, sprinkle the surface of 

 the poultice with charcoal and capsicum. 

 In a case that came under the author's 

 care in this city, and one in which there 

 was no hope of its healing by the first in- 

 tention, the tincture of capsicum was daily 

 injected : this, together with tonic, stimulat- 

 ing, astringent poultices and fomentations, 

 completed the cure. In cases where the ex- 

 ternal wound is large, and there is much 

 heat, pain, and loss of motion, poultices of 

 a relaxing and lubricating nature should be 

 used ; such are lobelia and slippery elm. A 

 severe injury of this kind may be converted 

 into a simple wound by the combined influ- 

 ence of these remedies. The horse should 

 be kept at rest, on a light diet of scalded food, 

 and an occasional dose of alterative medi- 

 cine. 



When lameness is manifest without heat 

 or swelling, and there is reason to suppose 

 that the animal has been overworked, rest 

 and proper attention to diet will be all that 

 is necessary. When the case is one of long 

 standing, a run at grass may effect a cure, 

 unless there is reason to suppose that the 

 articulatory surfaces of the bones are dis- 

 eased; we are not supposed to do more 

 for these subjects than alleviate their suf- 

 ferings, or, what amounts to the same thing, 

 diminish their lameness. 



Jugular Veins. — The large veins of the 

 neck, where a horse is bled. 



Kernels. — A common name for glands : 

 thus, the parotid glands, situated beneath 

 the ear, are termed the kernels under the 

 ear. 



Kino. — An astringent gum resin. 



Lacteals. — Absorbent vessels, which 

 convey the chyle from the bowels into the 

 thoracic duct. 



Lameness. — The cause of lameness in 

 horses is often very obscure, and can only 



