CAPPED HOCK. 311 



of the hock. In reality, therefore, capped hock is no more than a 

 serous abscess, attracting particular attention from its situation, and 

 exciting the concern of the master of the horse in something like 

 equivalent ratio to its dimensions, or to such estimate as he may in 

 his own mind come to of its deformity. So short is the time in 

 which capped hock on occasions arises that its origin is often said 

 to be " sudden." The groom quits his stable overnight, seeing his 

 horses " all right," and on his entry next morning discovers one of 

 them to have a capped hock. The history, as he full well knows 

 himself, of which is, that the injured horse has been kicking in the 

 course of the past night, and some how or other has contused the 

 point of his hock. The swelling, globular in shape, and as large 

 round as an Orleans plum or a small orange, imparts warmth when 

 pressed by the hand, shews some tenderness when squeezed, and 

 at the same time conveys a sense of elasticity and fluctuation to 

 the fingers. Should it be punctured or cut into in this recent con- 

 dition, yellow serous fluid, similar to what runs from serous abscess, 

 is discharged. 



In this stage of the disease little or nothing besides prevention of 

 repetition of injury is requisite to insure the gradual, and in time 

 complete, subsidence of the swelling. But too often, however, it 

 happens that the kicking is renewed, perhaps the following night, 

 the consequence of which is still further enlargement of the cap, 

 together with, should it not have come on at first, the supervention 

 of inflammation in it. In this way the swelling may attain the mag- 

 nitude of a small gourd, and even a larger size than this, becoming 

 not only a great deformity, but a tumour of a frightful and alarming 

 character. Nor will matters make an end here; for, in time, 

 whether there take place absorption of the collected fluid or not, 

 morbid changes will ensue in the condition of the external or sub- 

 cutaneous cap. From being thin and simply faschial in texture, it 

 becomes thick and fibrous, tendinous even in substance. Neither 

 will the skin clothing the cap remain unaltered, but likewise 

 will become thickened and indurated. In old and callous capped 

 hocks we readily detect with the hand these changes of structure ; 

 and, supposing we are bold enough to puncture them or introduce 



