OSTITIS AND PERIOSTITIS OF THE METACARPAL BONES. 155 



the disease is more circumscribed and more limited in its 

 effects, or the limbs of the animal have been more able to bear 

 it ; it becomes ultimately quite hard, from the organization of 

 the exudate into bony matter, and when this is effected, the 

 lameness and pain generally disappear. 



In the acute and extensive form, when the exudate does not 

 break down into sanies, or when suppuration does not imme- 

 diately take place, it becomes after a time hardened, and finally 

 converted into an ensheathing ring or case of new bone around 

 the old bone, forming a support for the limb, as will be de- 

 scribed under Necrosis. 



The treatment of the acute form is by free subcutaneous 

 incisions through the periosteum ; this will relieve the pain, cut 

 short the disease, and by allowing the exudate to escape, will 

 prevent the separation of the periosteum from the bone, a result 

 to be dreaded in every acute case, as leading to the necrosis of 

 the bone by the removal of its blood supply. In addition to 

 this, warm and soothing fomentations are to be used at first, 

 succeeded by cold, and afterwards by blisters. The constitu- 

 tional treatment to consist of a smart purgative, followed by 

 alteratives or sedatives, with low diet, and the animal to be 

 kept as quiet as possible. In the less severe form, incisions 

 are not called for, and the cold application may be employed 

 from the outset, succeeded by blisters, as in the acute form. 



SPLINTS 



Are another form of ostitis and periostitis, affecting the 

 metacarpal bones, and, in rare instances, the metatarsals. They 

 have a great analogy to the last-named disease, differing 

 only in situation ; splints being^ usually found upon the inner 

 surface of the leg, involving the inner small and large meta- 

 carpal bones, whereas the other form is usually found upon the 

 surfaces of the lower third of the large bone only. The reason 

 for this may be found in the pace of the race-horse being the 

 gallop, in which the weight of the animal's body is thrown 

 upon the anterior portion of the bone with fearful velocity at 

 each successive bound, causing the inflammation of the bone 

 in that part by which the shock is received. Splints, on the 

 other hand, are caused by a moderate pace, the trot or gentle 



