176 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



toms and treatment are much the same for all, only the accident as it 

 occurs in the hock joint will be described. Probably the most com- 

 mon mode of injury is from the stab of a fork, but it may result 

 from the kick of another horse that is newly shod, or in many other 

 ways. At first the horse evinces but slight pain or lameness. The 

 owner discovers a small wound scarcely larger than a pea, and pays 

 but little attention to it. In a few days, however, the pain and lame- 

 ness become excessive ; the horse can no longer bear any weight upon 

 the injured leg; the joint is very much swollen and painful upon 

 pressure; there are well-marked symptoms of constitutional disturb- 

 ance quick pulse, hurried breathing, high temperature, 103 to 

 106 F., the appetite is lost, thirst is present, the horse reeks with 

 sweat, and shows by an anxious countenance the pain he suffers. He 

 may lie down, though mostly he persists in standing, and the opposite 

 limb becomes greatly swollen from bearing the entire weight and 

 strain for so long a time. The wound, which at first appeared so in- 

 significant, is now constantly discharging a thin whitish or yellowish 

 fluid joint oil or water, which becomes coagulated about the mouth 

 of the wound and adheres to the part in clots like jelly,, or resembling 

 somewhat the white of an egg. Not infrequently the joint opens at 

 different places, discharging at first a thin bloody fluid that soon as- 

 sumes the character above described. 



Treatment. The treatment of these wounds is most difficult. 

 We can do much to prevent this array of symptoms if the case is- 

 seen early within the first twenty-four or forty-eight hours after the 

 injury; but when inflammation of the joint is once fairly established 

 the case becomes one of grave tendencies. Whenever a punctured 

 wound of a joint is noticed, even though apparently of but small 

 moment, we should, without the least delay, apply a strong can- 

 tharides blister over the entire joint, being even careful to fill the 

 orifice of the wound with the blistering ointment. This treatment 

 is almost always effectual. It operates to perform a cure in two ways 

 first, the swelling of the skin and tissues underneath it completely 

 closes the wound and prevents the ingress of air; second, by the 

 superficial inflammation established it acts to check and abate all 

 deep-seated inflammation. In the great majority of instances, if 

 pursued soon after the accident, this treatment performs a cure in 

 about one week, but should the changes described as occurring later 

 in the joint have already taken place, we must then treat by cooling 

 lotions and the application to the wound of a paste made up of flour 

 and alum. A bandage is to hold these applications in place, which is 

 only to be removed when swelling of the leg or increasing febrile 

 symptoms demand it. In the treatment of open joints our chief aim 

 must be to close the orifice as soon as possible. For this reason re- 

 peated probing or even injections are contraindicated. The only 

 probing of an open joint that is to be sanctioned is on our first visit, 

 when we should carefully examine the wound for foreign bodies or 

 dirt, and after removing them the probe must not again be used. 

 The medicines used to coagulate the synovial discharge are best 

 simply applied to the surface of the wound, on pledgets of tow, and 



