Ch. LXXVIII. Of Silent s and Ofkts. 233 



C H A F. LXXVIIL 



Of Splents and Oflets, &c. 



A ^phnt is a callous hard Subilance which adheres to the 

 "*^ Infide of the Shank-bone ; when there is but one, it is 

 called a fingle Splent ; but when there is another oppofitc to 

 it, on the Outfide of the Shank-bone, it is then called a 

 peg'd or pinn'd Splent. 



The Reafon of ail fuch Excrefcences may ^he Matter and 

 be eafily enough apprehended by thofe who Tor mat ion of 

 Will take the Fains to examine the Shank- Spletits. 

 bone of any Horfe after the Flefh is fcraped off, where they 

 may obferve two Appendages growing to the Shank- bone, 

 which are to be met with in all Horfes that are young, tho' 

 the Seam by which thefe Bones are joined to the Shank, is, 

 in fome old Horfes, quite obliterate and worn out, except 

 in the Middle. Each of thefe Appendages refembie a Bod- 

 j<in, being broad at Top, and narrow at Bottom, and are 

 joined to the Shank by Appofition, and faitened by a gum- 

 iiiy Matter not unlike Glue. 



Now if a young Horfe be prefs'd with any extraordinary 

 Weight towards his Shoulders, before thofe Bones are firmly 

 cemented and put together, but efpecially when he goes 

 down Hill with a Burden or a heavy Man upon his Back, 

 it bears io hard upon his Fore- legs, that it caufes thefe bony 

 Appendages to give Way, and fuffer a Diftortion ; and al- 

 tho' the Horfe dofs not always grow lame upon it imme- 

 diately, yet it brings a Redundancy of this glutinous Matter, 

 which ouzes from between the Bones on the Infide of the 

 Shank, where there is a little HoUownefs and Hardnefs un- 

 der the Pericjhum^ like the Gum which iimes from a 

 wounded Tree, and is thus form'd into a Splent. But when 

 the Diflortion is violent, or if the Horfe be of a tender, de- 

 licate. Make, the Aiilux of Matter will be the greater, fo that 

 it ouzes through the oppofite Side alfo, and forms a pegg'd 

 or thorough Splent, which looks as if a Wedge was flruck 

 quite thro' the Bone ; fom^etimes a double Splent is form'd, 

 which is call'd by the French a Fuzee ; and this happens 

 when there is a frefh Afflux of Matter upon a Splent that is 

 already begun, like the Lays upon an Ificle, by the running 

 down of frefli Water upon it. This laft Sort caufes a very 

 great Deformity, and is therefore eafily perceivable. 



Moft of thefe Swellings make their firft Appearance a 

 pretty Way below the Knee^ where the Cleft bet'Acen the 



BoiiCi 



