179 MILD TREATMENT PREFERABLE, RINGBONE. 



by A tread, or the prick of a nail, so will its situation be determined by the 

 precise cause, on the inside of the coronet, or the outside, near the heel, or 

 otherwise, as the cause may have been inflicted; and also, that the cure being 

 efllectcd by harsh means, or burning remedies, these leave the foot disposed to 

 contract other disorders at this region, as ringbone, &c. Hence it follows, that 

 the more moderate the means employed to get rid of this disorder, the less 

 probability is there of the patient's contracting some other. Therefore it is 

 advisable to try the milder remedies first, unless the quittor is of long stand- 

 ing and of very bad sort. The extent of each sinus, and the course it pur- 

 sues, is denoted by the colour of the soft parts of the foot, being black or livid, 

 or else scarcely tinged, according to its virulence. In order to pursue this 

 examination niore accurately, it will be necessary to stop the circulation of 

 the blood above, by tying a ligature tight round the fetlock joint, whereby the 

 skin of the healthy parts below will appear white, and thus more distinctly ex- 

 pose the nature of the sinuses. The pledgets that are to be introduced for 

 the destruction of the {)ipes may thus be selected of a larger or smaller size, 

 as the calibre of the sinus is greater or less ; as also may the quality of the 

 caustic application be made stronger or weaker, as the virulence may require. 

 Some hastily use the knife, and lay open the pipes freely along their whole 

 course; and if it approach near the bottom of the foot, the coffin-bone is usu- 

 ally affected witb rottenness (caries). This they hesitate not to scrape off, 

 though, if the patient be of strong and vigorous constitution, exfoliation will 

 take place without extending the operation so far. Indeed, it seldom hap- 

 ()ens that more is required than to give the disorder free vent at the coronet, 

 whereby the necessity of operating underneath is superseded ; for it will be 

 seen that the ascent of the hoof making particles from the sole will bring away 

 to the orifice of the ulcer any offensive matters from below ; and this process 

 of nature effects the cure. Whenever a sinus leads towards the back 

 tendon, or the joint, much care should be taken not to injure either with knife 

 or caustic, for a bad-looking seam is then left behind, with lameness that ter- 

 n:iiiates in anchylosis, or stiffening of the tendon, or growing together of the 

 small pastern and the coffin joint (a) and the shuttle-bone (/i), in the cut at 

 page 166. 



RINGBONE. 



Causes. — At times a badly cured quittor, at others ill-shapen foot ; which 

 occasions that concussion of the hoof and small pastern bone at their conjunc- 

 lion, which causes the latter to swell at the coronet. Cart and wagon horses 

 with short upright hoofs, that do not sufficiently secure the articulation of the 

 t\)ffin and pastern bones against injury, are most liable to this disease. 



Symptoms. — Lameness is sometimes the first intimation we have of the ex- 

 isUiice of ringbone, which is at first neglected, and only ascertained by pass- 

 ing the hand down over the part. As usual with most diseases of the foot, 

 •he attendant commonly ascribes the lameness to a strain higher up — of the 

 shoulder generally, as ringbones afflict the fore foot oftener than the hinder 

 one. It consists in the ossification of the cartilage in front of the foot, which 

 extends in time to the lateral parts also. 



Remedies. — These may be ai)plied to relieve, but no cure is to be found foi 

 ringbone. As high-heel usually accompanies the short upright hoof, the con- 

 cussions of toe foot may be lessened by lowering the heels. Apply blistering 

 omtment to the seat of the disease, and firing may also be employed with ad- 

 vantage. 



