FISTULOUS WITHERS. ]99 



have dropped from the manger, and striking it against 

 the iron border. It sometimes is even produced by 

 violent blows from the butt-end of a heavy hunting-whip, 

 which some inhuman brutes are fond of using. 



A painful swelling will be the result of the inflam- 

 mation, which should be rubbed with biniodide of 

 mercury, to bring about development of the abscess, 

 which may be ascertained by the softness of the swelling, 

 as well as by its fluctuation. For fear of the horse 

 moving suddenly on feeling the knife, a sharp seton 

 needle should be inserted from the centre of the abscess 

 in an oblique direction : and if the abscess be im- 

 mediately in the centre of the prominent ridge, or im- 

 mediately over the spinal chord, insert two setons, one 

 from the centre of the abscess to the left, and the other 

 from the centre of the abscess to the right side. If 

 this disease is neglected it will make terrible ravages in 

 all directions along the cervical vertebrae, &c. ; and, 

 indeed, in some instances the spinal chord and brain 

 have been seriously affected. 



FISTULOUS WITHERS. 



A fistula of the withers is generally the consequence 

 of a common saddle gall which has been neglected. It 

 sometimes burrows down among the muscles between 

 the shoulder blade and the ribs, and has been known to 

 penetrate to the sternum. 



Sometimes the bones or the spines of the dorsal 



