DISEASES OF HORSES 233 



as a climax. The symptoms of articular injuries vary not only in 

 the degrees of the hurt, but in the nature of the lesion. 



Or the condition of broken knees, resulting as we have said, may 

 have for its starting point a mere abrasion of the skin a scratch, 

 apparently, which disappears without a resulting scar. The injury 

 may, however, have been more severe, the blow heavier, the fall ag- 

 gravated by occurring upon an irregular surface, or sharp or rough 

 object, with tearing or cutting of the skin, and this laceration may 

 remain. A more serious case than the first is now brought to our 

 notice. 



Another time, immediately following the accident, or possibly 

 as a sequel of the traumatism, the tendinous sacs may be opened, with 

 the escape of the synovia ; or worse, the tendons which pass in front 

 of the knee are torn, the inflammation spreads, the joint and leg 

 are swollen, the animal is becoming very lame; synovitis has set in. 

 With this the danger becomes very great, for soon suppuration will 

 be established, then the external coat of the articulation proper be- 

 comes ulcerated, if it is not already in that state, and we find our- 

 selves in the presence of an open joint with suppurative synovitis 

 that is, with the worst among the conditions of diseased processes, 

 because of the liability of the suppuration to become infiltrated into 

 every part of the joint, macerating the ligaments and irritating the 

 cartilages, soon to be succeeded by their ulceration, with the destruc- 

 tion of the articular surface or the lesion of ulcerative arthritis, one 

 of the gravest among all the disorders known to the animal economy. 



But ulcerative arthritis and suppurative synovitis may be devel- 

 oped otherwise than in connection with open joints ; the simplest and 

 apparently the most harmless punctures may prove to be cause suf- 

 ficient. For example, a horse may be kicked, perhaps, on the inside 

 of the hock ; there is a mark and a few drops of blood to indicate the 

 spot, he is put to work, apparently free from pain or lameness, and 

 performs his task with his usual ease and facility. But on the fol- 

 lowing morning the hock is found to be a little swollen and there is 

 some stiffness. A little later on he betrays a degree of uneasiness in the 

 leg, and shrinks from resting his weight upon it, moving it up and 

 down for relief. The swelling has increased and is increasing, the 

 pain is severe, and, finally, there is an oozing, at the spot where the 

 kick impinged, of an oily liquid mixed with whitish drops of suppur- 

 ation. The mischief is done; a simple, harmless, punctured wound 

 has expended into a case of ulcerative arthritis and suppurative 

 synovitis. 



Treatment. For simple bruisas, like those which appear in the 

 form of broken knees or of carpitis, simple remedies, such as warm 

 fomentations or cold water applications and compresses of astringent 

 mixtures, suggest themselves at once. Injuries of a more complicated 

 character, as lacerations of the skin or tearing of soft structures, will 

 also be benefited by simple dressings with antiseptic mixtures, as 

 those of the carbolic acid order. The escape of synovia should sug- 

 gest the prompt use of collodion dressings to check the flow and pre- 

 vent the further escape of the fluid. But if the discharge is abundant 



