270 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



Our usual mode of application is as follows : Take a piece of 

 pponge, slightly concave, corresponding as near as possible to the 

 form and size of the hock ; by means of a few stitches, affix two 

 pieces of tape or linen, so as to form an X ; each piece must be 

 long enough to encircle the joint two or three times; after dip- 

 ping the sponge in the mixture, it must be applied to the inside 

 of the hock, and there secured, and afterwards kept constantly 

 moist. By a faithful application of the above, the inflammatory 

 symptoms (which are not confined to the joint alone, but prevail 

 IE the surrounding tissues) will soon subside, and anchylosis pro- 

 gresses in a slow, yet favorable manner, without the usual pain 

 and irritation. 



Much of the lameness in spavin arises in consequence of the 

 tumefied state of the ligamentary and sub-cellular tissues around 

 the joint. We knew a horse, some time ago, that was regularly 

 worked on the lead of a city truck, he being the subject of spavin 

 on both tarsal joints, which were enormously swollen ; and any 

 person not acquainted with the nature of the case would, suppose 

 that the bulk of the enlargement was of a bony character, it 

 being dense, hard, and unyielding. On dissection, however, the 

 bulk was the result of a general thickening of all the parts in the 

 vicinity of the hock ; the exostosis, or bony enlargement, was but 

 trifling, and the tarsal bones — composing the hock — were in "a 

 perfect state of anchylosis. (See cuts of spavin.) The animal, 

 up to the period of his death, was considered "a very lame 

 liorse" Now, the lameness must have been of a ligamentary 

 character, and not bony nor cartilaginous ; for the bones were 

 united as firm as a rock, leaving not the least trace of inter- 

 articular cartilage. 



In our collection of morbid specimens can be seen two excel- 

 lent specimens of spavin, taken from a horse formerly the prop- 

 erty of a teamster doing business in Boston. The owner informed 

 us that at the age of eight the horse showed symptoms of spavin ; 

 he was immediately taken from work, and for upwards of a year 

 was permitted to lead a life of comparative rest in the country, part 

 of the time at grass ; the remainder was spent in bam and yard life. 

 During this time, he was more or less lame ; yet nothing, by way 

 of treatment, was done for him, except an occasional dash of cold 



