288 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



harmlessness of splints that suggests and justifies the policy of non- 

 interfer^mce, except as they become a positive cause of lameness. And 

 a more positive argument for such noninterference consists in the fact 

 tliat any active and irritating treatment ma}- so excite the parts as to 

 bring about a renewed pathological activity, which may result in a 

 roduplication of the phenomena, with a second edition, if not a second 

 and enlarged volume, of the whole story. For our part, our faith, is 

 firm in the impolicy of interference, and this faith is founded on an 

 experience of man}- years, during which our practice has been that of 

 abstention. 



Of course, there will be exceptional conditions which will at times 

 indicate a different course. These will become evident when the occa- 

 sions present themselves, and extraordinary forms and effects of 

 inflammation and growth in the tumors offer special indications.' But 

 our conviction remains unshaken that surgical treatment of the oper- 

 ative kind is usually useless, it not dangerous. We have little faith 

 in the method of extirpation except under very special conditions, 

 among which that of diminutive size has been named, which seems in 

 itself to constitute a sufficient negative argument. But even in such 

 a case a resort to the knife or the gouge could scarcely find a justifi- 

 cation, since no operative procedure is ever without a degree of haz- 

 ard, to say nothing of the considerations which are always forcibly 

 negative in an}^ question of the infliction of pain and the unnecessary 

 use of the knife. 



If an acute periostitis of the cannon bone has been readily discov- 

 ered, the treatment we have already suggested for that ailment is 

 at once indicated, and the astringent lotions may be relied upon to 

 bring about beneficial results. Sometimes, however, preference may 

 be given to a lotion possessing a somewhat different qualit}', the alter- 

 ative consisting of tincture of iodine applied to the inflamed spot 

 several times dail3^ If the lameness persists under this mild course 

 of treatment it must, of course, be attacked bj^ other methods, and we 

 must resort to the cantharides ointment or Spanish-fly blister, as we 

 have before recommended. Besides this, and producing an analogous 

 effect, the compounds of biniodide of mercury are favored b}'- some. 

 It is prepared in the form of an ointment, consisting of 1 dram of the 

 biniodide to 1 ounce of either lard or vaseline. It forms an excellent 

 blistering and alterative application, and is of special advantage in 

 newly formed or recentl}" discovered exostosis. 



It remains a pertinent quer3% however, and one Avhich seems to be 

 easily answered, whether a tumor so diminutive in size that it can 

 onl}' be detected b}^ diligent search, and which is neither a disfigure- 

 ment nor an obstruction to the motion of the limb, need receive an}^ 

 recognition whatever. Other modes of treatment for spliufs are rec- 

 ommended and practiced which belong strictly to the domain of oper- 



