WINDGALL OF THE KNEE. 305 



as it sometimes does more of the nature of thecal sprain than of 

 pure windgall, 



Lameness is an occasional Accompaniment, a constant 

 one, Hurtrel d'Arboval says; but our own practice has not ap- 

 peared to confirm this. Should lameness be present, the case of 

 course would call for 



Treatment. — And this should be commenced by lengthening 

 the caulkings of the shoe of the lame limb ; it being of great 

 consideration towards cure to diminish, to the utmost possible 

 extent, the dragging action of the muscles upon the tendons. 

 This done, spongio-piline fomentation, evaporating or discutient 

 lotions, a brisk cathartic, and absolute repose — the latter to be 

 continued so long as lameness exists — will in time effect restora- 

 tion of soundness ; though tumour will still, to a greater or less 

 extent, probably remain; to get rid of which we must employ 

 iodine and mercurial ointments, or, if it be thought worth while, 

 sweating blisters. 



Windgall of the Knee. 



The large extensor muscle of the cannon {extensor metacarpi 

 magnus), and the principal extensor^nuscle of the foot {extensor 

 pedis), taking their origin high up upon the arm become tendin- 

 ous a little above the knee, and their tendons, as they pass under- 

 neath the anterior annular ligament, run through synovial sheaths, 

 furnished with bur see mucosce. These vaginal bursae frequently — 

 indeed commonly — are found to communicate with the middle 

 joint of the carpus or articulation formed between the two rows 

 of small bones; consequently, the synovial fluid freely passes 

 during the motions of the knee-joint from the bursal cavity into 

 that of the joint, and vice versa. 



It is these {carpal) BURSAE which are the seats of the disease 

 called " windgall of the knee." They become enlarged in conse- 

 quence of anormal collections of synovia in this middle compart- 

 ment of the knee-joint; and the augmented secretion of fluid is 

 probably owing to causes similar to such as have been already de- 

 tailed as occasioning the same in other bursae connected with joints. 



VOL. IV. R r 



