96 REMEDIES FOR SPAVIN. 



that are severely fired, and afterwards turned out, by no means so 

 infrequently come up very much relieved, and, on occasions, in a 

 state of soundness. All this I am ready to grant. But I would 

 account for the fact in a way somewhat different, perhaps, from 

 the explanation commonly given. I admit that the firing, as a 

 most severe and enduring counter-irritant, has been productive of 

 great benefit; at the same time we must not overlook the other 

 effect this violent excitement of inflammation and ulceration of the 

 skin covering the hock necessarily has had, and that is, from the 

 soreness and pain occasioned by flexion of the joint, the compul- 

 sion on the part of the animal to refrain as much as possible from 

 moving, at all events, from bending, the hock ; so that, in effect, 

 the diseased joint has in a measure been, during the turning-out, 

 in a state of repose. Moreover, it must be remembered that the 

 motions of flexion and extension are principally effected by the 

 rotation of the trochlea between the tibia and the astragalus, and 

 that the cuneiform joint is not necessarily called into action, though 

 it cannot escape being compressed the while, and consequently, 

 in the state of disease in which it is, injured more or less every 

 time weight is thrown upon the lame limb. After all, however, 

 any abstinence from motion or compression the joint may expe- 

 rience in the turned- out horse, is not to be compared to the state 

 of absolute quietude it enjoys in the horse that is kept up ; added 

 to which, whatever amendment may result from inability to flex 

 or bear weight upon the joint so long as it continues painful, 

 and sore, and stiff, we may expect will be again forfeited the mo- 

 ment he loses this pain and soreness, and regains the use of the 

 limb. In fine, by turning out we are liable and likely to undo 

 much, if not all, that we have taken so much pains to accomplish 

 by the iron ; and to this error in treatment I ascribe, more than to 

 any other circumstance, the large proportionate number of failures 

 in the cuie of cases of spavin. 



Blood-letting, as locally or topically as it can be practised, I 

 regard as a valuable remedy in all cases where the disease is re- 

 cent and inflammatory in its character. Were spavined horses 

 brought to us as soon as they manifested lameness, instead of being 

 worked on until thev become too lame to continue at work — as is 



