PARTICULAR DISLOCATIONS. ^07 



acid." The horse was after this turned out. In four months, "he 

 could get up himself, and walk tolerably sound ; though at the trot he 

 was still lame. But at the expiration of twelve months he was perfectly 

 sound, and remained so." 



Dislocation of the Patella or Stifle-bone is the most common 

 accident of this description ; it also proves the most remediable. My 

 father's ' Veterinary Records,' p. 26, contain an account of a case that 

 occurred to him, June, 1804. Had this been published, it would pro- 

 bably have stood ^rsl in our annals. To this aifection attention was first 

 called by Mr. Charles Percivall ; from whose communication to ' The 

 Veterinarian' I derive most of my information. 



Mr. C. Percivall has met with ezg7t^c«se5 of dislocated patella, — "five of 

 them within the space of little more than two years, and during his re- 

 sidence in India ;" a circumstance that leads him to believe it is a case 

 " of more frequent occurrence in India than in this country ; probably 

 arising from the manner in which horses are tied up ;" their heads being 

 confined by side-ropes to pegs driven into the ground ; while the hind 

 legs are encircled with leathern straps, and confined by ropes to two 

 other pegs. The dislocation seems to happen either in the act of lying 

 down, or from some violent effort made in rising. On other occasions it 

 happens out of the stable, either in consequence of some external injury, 

 or of some sudden or lateral movement for which the muscles were at 

 the time unprepared. 



The Symptoms of this dislocation are — protrusion of the limb back- 

 wards ; the pastern and foot flexed to their utmost, incapable of being 

 straightened, and trailed along the ground when the animal is made to 

 move, describing a sort of segment of a circle ; with perceptible pro- 

 minence and tenderness on the outer side of the stifle-joint ; and also 

 some unnatural depression in the proper situation of the dislocated bone. 

 There is an accident, rare however in its occurrence, which may be 

 jnistaken for this dislocation. It consists in tumefaction of the bursal 

 cap of the patella, and is commonly referable to a kick or blow. Al- 

 though, at first view, it looks very like a dislocated patella, the practi- 

 tioner will, the moment he sees the horse walk and use the limb as though 

 nothing had happened, feel persuaded that no displacement of the bone 

 can exist. After fomentation, and a dose of physic, the best remedy for 

 this enlargement is a blister. 



The Reduction of the bone is effected thus : Let an assistant carry the 

 limb forwards and upwards, towards the abdomen, for the purpose of re- 

 laxing the stifle as much as possible ; the operator is then to place his 

 hand upon the outer angle of the patella, and keep forcibly depressing 

 the part while he is endeavouring to tilt the bone forwards and upwards. 

 Another mode is with a side-line, or long piece of web, passed around 

 I. 17 



