SPLINT. 261 



tumour is pressed upon. With symptoms such as these present, 

 and in the absence of any other palpable cause for the lameness, we 

 may fairly ascribe it to the pain of the splint. 



It has already been stated that the lameness arising from splint 

 IS referrible to one of two causes, or to both such causes ; either to 

 the tension the exostosis occasions to the periosteum enveloping it, 

 or to the general inflammatory condition of the tumour, and of the 

 periosteum perhaps as well. As to the alleged other cause, viz., that of 

 the splint " touching" or " interfering with the back sinew," for our 

 own part we must confess our lack of observation confirmatory of 

 this point : we do not remember ever to have seen such a case ; 

 and we certainly, until one shall actually come under notice, must 

 withhold our belief in its occurrence. 



Cutting may be the Consequence of Splint; and this 

 might occasion lameness from time to time almost or quite equal 

 to that which arises from speedy -cut. A horse who has never cut 

 before may do so from having thrown out a splint. For such an 

 evil the remedy assuredly would be the immediate removal of the 

 splint by operation. 



Is A Horse having Splint to be regarded as unsound 1 

 — Were this question to be answered in the affirmative, there would 

 be, we are afraid, remaining but few horses that could be called 

 sound after the completion of their adult period of life. That a 

 horse going lame in consequence of splint, or that cuts from splint 

 so as to occasion himself lameness, is unsound there can be no 

 doubt whatever. Unless, however, one or other of these ill conse- 

 quences could be shewn to result, no importance whatever need be 

 attached to the presence of splint. It is possible, as now and then 

 indeed happens, that splint may, from its magnitude and conspicu- 

 ous situation, amount to an eye-sore or blemish : this might some- 

 what disturb the question of soundness, though we very much 

 doubt, after all, that such case of magnitude simply could be con- 

 strued as equivalent to unsoundness. 



The Treatment of Splint, when it be consequential enough 

 to require treatment, is, in general, a simple affair. Coleman 

 averred that "no man ever cured either a spavin or a splint;" by 

 which he meant it to be understood, that it was not within the 



