262 PARTICULAR LAMENESSES. 



and as a result of motion, air is, as it were, purrped into the sub- 

 cutaneous areolar tissue, inflating it, first in the neighbourhood 

 of the wound, and then, if the movements be continued, over 

 the greater part of the animal's body. I have seen the head 

 swollen to a tremendous extent, the eyes closed by the swollen 

 lids, the neck, shoulders, dorsal and posterior regions so blown 

 up, that the classification of the patient in the animal kingdom 

 became a matter of some dififi.culty. Such a condition need 

 occasion but little alarm ; all that will be requisite is to find 

 out the wound, clean it well with warm water, plug it up with 

 tow dipped in collodion, and keep the animal still. In a short 

 time the air will be absorbed, and the swelling dissipated. If 

 the nostrils are so greatly swollen as to interfere with the 

 respiratory functions, endangering the animal's life, it will be 

 necessary to puncture the skin surrounding them, and press out 

 the contained air ; but if this is not the case, there is no neces- 

 sity for making any punctures. 



SPRAIN OF THE RADIAL OR SUPERIOR CARPAL LIGAMENT. 



This ligament, sometimes described as a broad band of fibrous 

 tissue, springs from the posterior surface of the radius, and 

 becomes inserted into the flexor perforatus above the knee, 

 and is also continuous with the perforans muscle and ante- 

 brachial fascia. It will be noticed, upon dissecting the fore 

 extremity, that the flexor muscles of the radial region are 

 intermixed with a large quantity of white fibrous tissue — 

 in fact, they are semi-tendinous in their structure ; and that, 

 both above and below the knee, any undue extension of them 

 is checked by ligamentous bands, which arise from the radius 

 and metacarpus magnus, and become continuous with their 

 tendons of insertion. 



The peculiarity of construction here noticed enables the horse 

 to sleep while standing. The feet are made fixed points by being 

 implanted firmly on the ground, and these muscles act as exten- 

 sors of the shoulder, preventing the animal from falling by 

 keeping the limbs in a state of rigidity. Had they been com- 

 posed wholly of muscular tissue, this long-continued action 

 would have been an impossibility ; but containing as they do a 

 large amount of tendinous structure which is beyond the influ- 



