52 OSSIFIC DISEASE OF JOINTS. 



of a nature that warrants the appellation o{ joint; so that here is 

 an example, and a very common one, of ossification of a joint. In 

 fact, ossific disease commonly has its origin and nidus in one of 

 these two fibrous tissues — the periosteal or the fibro-cartilaginous ; 

 and may, as was said before, be the result either of inflammation 

 springing up in its own proper substance or spreading into it from 

 some contiguous tissue. 



From the circumstance of our finding these adventitious osseous 

 deposits for the most part in the vicinity of joints, as well as from 

 the fact of their being often associated with disease in the cavity 

 of the joint, we learn to regard these two affections — the ossific and 

 the ulcerative — as, to a certain extent, correlative or consequent 

 one upon the other ; nevertheless, on occasions, one, certainly, 

 shews itself in a solitary and independent form. The following 

 case of recent occurrence is well calculated to demonstrate the 

 connexion between periosteal and synovial disease, and their 

 dependence one upon the other. 



October 25th, 1845, Mr. A's bay gelding, while being led out 

 for exercise, alongside of another horse, received a wound, trifling 

 in appearance, from a kick, upon the upper part of his near arm, 

 which, at the time, bled rather freely, but did not cause lameness. 

 The arm was fomented, and a dose of physic given next morning, 

 during which day, on account of its being Sunday, he was not 

 taken out to exercise. On the third day (Monday) he was led 

 out, the physic requiring that he should be moved. There was 

 now some trifling discharge from the wound, and a little stiffness 

 on motion. The medicine operated well, and the fomentation was 

 persevered in with unusual diligence, the owner being anxious 

 about his horse, and all went on so well that on the seventh day 

 from the accident the animal was taking his exercise as usual by 

 the side of another horse. 



On the 4th November (the eleventh day from the accident) the 

 groom perceived the horse walking lame on his return from his 

 accustomed exercise, and, becoming alarmed at this unexpected 

 relapse of lameness, brought the patient to me. This was the first 

 time I had seen him. It struck me at the moment that the wound, 

 which was still issuing purulent matter, was directly upon the 



