• DISEASES OF D03IESTIC ANIMALS. 115 



from tracheotomy, where the air got in and extended over the entire 

 body ; the operation was performed in a bungling manner. 



Injuries Below the Fetlock. — The flexor muscles are bound down by 

 fascae. These muscles are liable to injuries, punctures, wounds, etc., and 

 when you notice an injury of a chronic character, and successive abscesses 

 form and discharge, open up and examine for a foreign body. These mus- 

 cles are also sprained. The belly is not sprained so often as the tendon ; 

 but this does occur. It may be done by violent action, as galloping, jump- 

 ing, etc. The symptoms are well marked. There is difficulty in flexing 

 and extending the limb, heat and swelling in the parts. Use fomenta- 

 tions, liniments and a mild blister. There are incised, punctured and 

 lacerated wounds as well. If a horse receives a pretty deep puncture 

 in the region of the elbow joint, with a small external opening, and 

 the animal is kept going for a day or two, matter forms, diffuse 

 suppuration takes place under the fascia. It can not get away, but 

 extends around the limb, causing great suffering and swelling. The 

 matter may penetrate and destroy the capsular ligament, and cause 

 open joint, and if you are called two or three days after the acci- 

 dent, and the parts swollen and tender, and perhaps you can detect 

 fluctuation, then relieve the parts of pus by an incision, foment, 

 etc., which will often prevent excessive sloughing. Watch such cases 

 closely. The muscles become tendons as we proceed down. The exten- 

 sor metacarpi obliques passes obliquely over the anterior portion of the 

 region, and nature has supplied it with a bursa to enable it to move 

 smoothly. And you often see little swellings just above the knee, which 

 are distensions of this bursa, which has become diseased, possibly from a 

 sprain, but generally from injury by striking the manger, or from jump- 

 ing fences and striking the parts, or from a pole upon the neck to pre- 

 vent jumping. Give rest, use hot or cold water, judicious blister, etc. 

 It is an eye-sore only, and is very difficult to remove. Endeavour to 

 cause absorption by setting up inflammation, then use cold water to the 

 parts. You may sometimes open them, but, as a general thing, be care- 

 ful unless it contains serum. You may treat with the asperator, but it is 

 not what it is said to be in veterinary practice. 



Knee- Joint. — The arrangement of the bones prevent concussion, to a 

 great extent ; still it is affected by concussion, and s6metimes of a com- 

 plicated character. Inflammation generally results from injury, but not 

 invariably. It may be from hereditary tendency, or a rheumatic inflam- 

 mation. There is lameness and swelling in some cases. He may walk 

 tolerably well, but, if trotted, he drops the same as in splint, to some 

 extent — stands with the limb slightly pointed. If you flex or rotate the 

 limb it gives pain. If the cause is kept up, it is likely to end in anchy- 

 losis, which may be due to a bony deposit, or to a fibrous exudate, and 

 the animal may be destroyed. The prognosis is more difficult than the 

 diagnosis. 



Injuries to the Knee Joint. — There may be stiffness, but not lame- 

 ness, from the formation of fibrous tissue, or there may be a little deposit 

 in connection with the ligaments, giving rise to more or less lameness ; 

 or anchylosis may result from carpitis. You can detect this by flexing 

 the limb, and if the limb is in a healthy condition, you can bring the 

 little pad, at the back of the fetlock, against the elbow ; but if diseased, 

 you cannot. Examine in this way for soundness. 



Treatment. — There is no articulation that requires more rest than the 

 knee. Devise some means to keep the limb quiet. Take off the shoe in 

 most cases ; bathe with cold water, and use anodyne liniments, and 

 bandage nicely ; and I have found benefit from a starch bandage. If 



