440 BENIGN TUMOURS. 



an inch apart, in order to remove a portion of the skin, which, 

 if left, would be an ugly blemish. 



Capped elbow is caused by the animal lying upon the heels 

 of his shoe, and is apt to be produced by a shoe too long in the 

 heels. It must therefore be remembered that the application 

 of proper shoes is the first step in the treatment, and, in addi- 

 tion, that a pad or bandage should be placed around the foot, 

 in order to prevent any chance of bruising during the period 

 of treatment, and for some time after recovery. Some horses 

 will cap their elbows, no matter how carefully they are shod, 

 and these, whilst in the stable, should always have a boot 

 or pad to cover the heels of the shoe and posterior parts of 

 the foot. 



The treatment for capped hock is a more difficult matter, for 

 unless great care be taken, a small enlargement on the point of 

 the OS calcis — of a soft pliable nature — may become converted 

 into a hard, solid, and unsightly swelling, which will lessen the 

 value of the animal to a very great extent. 



Serous capped hocks are most frequently seen in well-bred 

 horses, whilst capped elbows prevail amongst those of a coarser 

 breed. Xot that there is any special predisposition in either 

 class of animal, but from the facts that coarse horses are shod 

 with turned-up or long heels, and that the well-bred ones are 

 liable to accidents to the points of the hocks from kicking in 

 harness or in the stable, being, as a rule, more restless at night 

 than the coarser-bred horse. 



Some horses have a habit of scraping all their bedding from 

 under them, and of lying upon the bare floor of the stall. Such 

 are very frequently seen \vith the points of their hocks enlarged. 

 I always look with suspicion upon horses with this blemish, as 

 generally it is indicative of some vice. 



If the enlargement is not very unsightly, it should be left 

 alone; if there is any heat of skin and inflammation, the appli- 

 cation of cold to the part and the administration of a purgative 

 will constitute the best treatment. But if the sac be large and 

 the hock unsightly, the insertion of a seton tlirough it, not 

 merely between it and the skin, will occasionally reduce it. 

 There is no danger in this, for there is no synovial cavity 

 interfered with in any way. The seton should remain in for 

 a fortnight, but no longer, as it is apt, if kept in too long, to 



