ELBOW LAMENESS. 2G1 



diagnosis of the seat of lameness is easy, for there will be 

 swelling, pain, and heat, in addition to difficulty in mo^dng the 

 articulation. When the internal ligament is injured, the horse 

 stands with his foot and limb thrown outwards. This he does 

 to prevent, as much as possible, the injured parts being pressed 

 upon by the pectoral muscles ; and when the triceps is the seat 

 of the injury, the fore arm is flexed upon the humerus ; the 

 action of the flexor brachii being now unopposed, the knee 

 is elevated, the leg flexed from the knee downwards, the toe 

 of the foot touching the ground, and the limb semi-pendulous. 

 When the horse is made to move, he drops considerably, and 

 seems in danger of falling at every step he takes, the limb 

 itself almost bending double when any weight is thrown upon 

 it. This excessive dropping, during progression, is characteristic 

 of elbow-joint lameness, even when there are no external signs, 

 such as heat, swelling, or pain, visible. 



Percivall describes a case of elbow-joint lameness in his book 

 on lameness, published in 1849, where the symptoms were 

 similar to those of laminitis. I have never witnessed anything 

 similar to what is described by Percivall, namely, an animal 

 putting the heel first to the ground in elbow-joint lameness. 

 Usually the limb is semi-flexed, in order to relax the articula- 

 tion as much as possible ; the toe, during motion, first coming 

 to the ground. 



The diagnostic signs of elbow-joint lameness are, first, the 

 semi-flexed position of the limb whilst the horse is standing 

 still ; and the excessive dropping of the head and anterior parts 

 of the body during action. 



Professor Dick used to say that the capsular ligament, 

 distended with synovia, could be felt through the skin and 

 subcutaneous structures. I have, however, not been able to 

 confirm this. Photo -lithograph, Plate III., Pig. 2, is a good 

 illustration of elbow-joint lameness. 



A small wound upon or near to the olecranon gives rise to 

 very peculiar symptoms. The wound itself may be so small 

 as to escape detection without a very careful examination. 

 It may be situated upon the very point of the olecranon, or 

 upon its side, or even in the space between the thoracic wall 

 and elbow. The wound is inflicted commonly whilst hunting ; 

 the rider, not knowing that it has been received, rides his horse, 



