DISEASES OF DOIIESTIC ANIMALS. Ill 



drivel until a hollow is seen in the scapula ; all the elements of the 

 muscles are there, but are wasted to some extent. 



Causes are various. It is mostly likely to occur in young animals, 

 from a sudden jerk from a plough striking a stump or stone, or from the 

 wheel of a waggon striking against some obstacle, or it may occur from 

 the animal rolling about the stall or box, or from jumping about ; but in 

 most cases it is the result of work, and the horse going in an awkward 

 manner. 



Symptoms are very well marked. In the early stage there is, I believe, 

 more or less swelling, but it is not often noticed. The first thing gener- 

 ally noticed is the wasting of the muscles ; or, the animal may be stiff to 

 a certain extent, the action somewhat impaired, yet you could not call it 

 lameness ; but in five or six days the true character of the disease shows 

 itself. If the outer muscles are severely affected, those on the inside of 

 the shoulder are affected to some extent, and when the animal throws 

 weight upon the limb, the joint bulges until you would think there was a 

 partial dislocation of the shoulder. In the very worst cases a cure may 

 be effected ; but if kept at work, it may be a long time before the muscles 

 will attain their natural size. Keep the patient quiet for two, three op 

 four weeks ; turn loose in a box or stall ; it is better than turning on pas- 

 ture. First use fomentations and follow by mild stimulating liniments, 

 as tincture of camphor, opium and arnica — equal parts. The treatment 

 should be such as would hasten the reproduction of the muscular fibre, 

 by keeping the animal quiet, feed moderately well, stimulate the parts and 

 apply a blister occasionally ; or you may use seatons, and if you do, use 

 three ; but there is no necessity for using very severe remedies. There is 

 no particular specific for it. Judicious exercise for some time is benefi- 

 cial. He may be used for light saddle work, but not to the plough. In- 

 cisions are sometimes made and air blown into the areolar tissues. Those 

 who practice it say it separates the skin from the muscles, and hastens 

 reproduction. This can easily be detected by the crackling noise. In 

 giving your opinion, you may give it that a cure can be effected, but 

 it will take some time, and plenty of time. 



Enlargements on the Shoulder are common in farm horses, a 

 common cause being an ill-fitting collar. They vary very much in their 

 character, and it is necessary to make a careful examination and find the 

 true character of the enlargement. When they are soft and moveable or 

 fluctuating, and have made their appearance suddenly, they contain 

 serum, and are called serous abscesses, and are very common in the 

 shoulder by the muscles being injured ; inflammation and irritation are 

 set up, and an exudation of serum is the result. Some are well defined, 

 others are not. In some cases they may be hard around their circumfer- 

 ence and soft in the centre, and the hair begins to fall off. This shows 

 suppuration, and it may be a deep-seated abscess, and if there is large 

 exudation surrounding this pus, which may have been there for some 

 time, then blisters, etc., would not reach it. 



Treatment.— li a serous abscess make an incision and allow the 

 serum to escape. After treatment use fomentations or cold appli- 

 cations according to the season of the year, and use pressure— place 

 a bag of bran over the part and apply pressure. These are trouble- 

 some to treat ; in some cases you open it up and the contents are 

 evacuated ; and in twenty-four or thirty hours serum is again formed ; 

 then use a digestive ointment on a piece of tape, or something of 

 the kind, saturated with a mild stimulant. The best knife for such is 

 Sime's abscess lancet. There is another mode which looks rather rough, 

 but is pretty successful : if you have opened it up and used the digestive 



