THE WITHERS 29 



its muscular attachments and perichondrium it 

 plays the role of a foreign body and thus per- 

 petuates secondary fistulous tracts, which, on 

 account of the movement to and fro are very 

 slow to cicatrize, even after the necrotic parts 

 have been extirpated. 



Cartilage is found on the spinous processes 

 of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh 

 spines, but is most abundant on the fifth and 

 sixth. To this cartilage is fused the fibers of 

 the supraspinous ligament. When the liga- 

 ment detaches from disease the cartilaginous 

 ends lie bare and being soft often induce sur- 

 geons to indulge in reckless curetting when no 

 such procedure is indicated. Protruding like 

 stumps into the bottom of the abscess cavity 

 and being slow to separate from the viable 

 bone beneath, these cartilaginous summits are 

 exceedingly instrumental in delaying cicatriza- 

 tion and a prolific source of recurrences. 



Bones 



The bones of the withers are the spinous 

 processes of the dorsal vertebra from the sec- 

 ond to the point posteriorly where they reach 

 the level of the back. They incline backward. 

 They are thin at the anterior border, thick 

 posteriorly and expanded dorsally to receive 

 the attachment of the supraspinous ligament. 



