352 



DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



nerves frequently becoming 



Fig, 66. — OflFfore leg after neuro- 

 tomy, showing external appearance 

 of gelatinous degeneration of its 

 structures, with rupture of the flexor 

 tendon and inferior navicular liga- 

 ment, and fracture of navicular bone. 



at the same time very sensitive 

 to the touch, from a deposition 

 between their fibres; lameness 

 may arise from this cause, or it 

 may be absent. As the swelling 

 increases, the coronet and pastern 

 present a tense glistening appear- 

 ance, and the elevation of the toe 

 becomes greater by degrees, or 

 suddenly, from rupture of the ten- 

 don; the leg assumes a form 

 similar to the annexed figure. 



The condition illustrated by the 

 woodcut (Fig. 66) is similar to 

 what surgeons denominate gela- 

 tinous degeneration, or strumous 

 disease of the joints; and for the 

 purpose of comparison, I give a 

 description of the examination of 

 the leg from which the woodcut was 

 drawn, and the pathological condi- 

 tion of a joint subject to a similar 

 disease in the human subject. 



(l.) PATHOLOGICAL APPEARAXCES OF THE NAVICULAR- JOINT AND 

 SURROUNDING STRUCTURES OF THE FOOT REPRESENTED IN 

 FIG. 66. 



External Appearances. — In the space usually denominated the 

 pit of the heel, but which now, owing to the altered position of 

 the foot, constituted its posterior part, there was a prominent 

 bulging or elastic doughy swelling. On removing the skin, exten- 

 sive deposits of a gelatinous or fibrinous material w^ere revealed 

 surrounding the pastern and fetlock joints, involving the extensor 

 and flexor tendons, forming a soft cushion for the lacerated struc- 

 tures to rest upon, and embracing in its interstices a large quan- 

 tity of a sero-sanguineous fluid. 



The flexor perforans had been ruptured at that portion which 

 passes under the navicular bone ; but the rupture was not com- 

 plete, the inferior layer of fibres remaining still unbroken. The 



