INJURIES AND INFLAMMATION OF THE STIFLE-JOINT. 967 



be killed, to avoid the loss of condition which results when disease 

 becomes general. The acute aseptic or closed form may be treated, 

 particularly in valuable animals. The prognosis should be reserved 

 if severe pain exist, because the continuous weight thrown on the 

 other foot may produce acute laminitis, or the animal, unable to 

 stand, may die from exhaustion. Severe complications, nevertheless, 

 may render even this form incurable ; thus, a horse which had been 

 struck by a carriage-pole suddenly became lame ; the animal died, 

 apparently in consequence of pain, and on post-mortem, two frag- 

 ments of bone as large as chestnuts were found to have been detached 

 from the outer condyle of the femur ; they lay within the joint capsule. 

 On the other hand, a seemingly severe injury exposing the patella 

 healed in a month. In this case the joint was probably uninjured. 

 Sherman saw a horse die from division of the femoral artery pro- 

 duced by a lance-thrust in the flank. 



Treatment. Recent wounds near the joint, or involving the 

 above-named tendon sheath, require antiseptic treatment ; and, 

 as in large animals a proper dressing cannot be used, the wound 

 must be disinfected, and in the case of small injuries a blister of sub- 

 limate dissolved in 10 parts of spirit, or the actual cautery should 

 be applied, in order to produce swelling, and close the wound in 

 the joint as rapidly as possible. Large wounds may be carefully 

 disinfected and sutured, or be kept aseptic by continuous 

 irrigation. 



Acute serous arthritis may be successfully treated by rest, and 

 warm fomentations, and, after an interval, by applications of iodine, 

 oleate of mercury, or cantharides collodion. Treatment of the 

 chronic or dropsical form often fails. Firing and blistering may 

 reduce the swelling, but the joint is permanently blemished. 

 Complete recovery has followed aseptic puncture of the capsule, 

 by means of a fine trocar or hollow needle, drawing off the contents, 

 and afterwards firing and blistering the joint. Aseptic removal 

 of the fluid, with injection of iodine or weak sublimate, may be tried. 

 Usually the joint refills, but later shows a considerable diminution 

 in the swelling. Operative puncture of the stifle is never quite free 

 from risk of infection, and unless the horse can be kept in slings for 

 a time and carefully attended, puncture is not advisable. Some- 

 times in young horses the distension disappears without treatment 

 of any sort. 



