DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 331 



T'vpatment. — When in their acute stage, and when the dropsical 

 condition is not excessive, the inflammatiom may be checked during 

 the day ]>y continuous cold water irngation b}' means of a hose or 

 soaking tub and at night b}- applying a moderately tight roller bandage. 

 Later absorption may l^e promoted by a Priossnitz bandage," pressure 

 by roller bandages, sweating, the use of liniments, or if necessary by 

 a sharp blister of biniodide of mercury. This treatment should sub- 

 due the inflammation, abort the soreness, absorb the excess of secre- 

 tion, strengthen the walls of the sac, and finally cause the vvdndgalls to 

 disappear, provided the animal is not too quicklv returned to labor 

 and exposed to the same factors that occasioned them at fi.rst. 



But if the inflammation has become chronic, and the enlargement has 

 been of considerable duration, the negative course will be the wiser 

 one. If any benefit results from treatment it will be of onlj^ a tran- 

 sient kind, the dilatation returning when the patient is again subjected 

 to labor, and it will boa fortunate circumstance if inflammation has not 

 supervened. 



But notwithstanding the generally benignant nature of the swelling 

 there are exceptional cases, usually when it is probably undergoing 

 certain pathological changes, which may result in lameness and disable 

 the animal, in which case surgical treatment will be indicated, especially'" 

 if repeated blisters have failed to improve the symptoms. Line firing 

 is then a preeminent suggestion, and many a useful life has received a 

 new lease as the result of this operation timeh^ performed. Another 

 method of firing, which consists in emptying the sac by means of punc- 

 tures through and through, made with a red-hot needle or wire, and 

 the subsequent injection into the cavity of certain irritating and alter- 

 ative compounds, designed to efl:ect its closure by exciting adhesive 

 inflammation, such as tincture of iodine, may be commended. But they 

 are all too active and energetic in their effects and require too much 

 special attention and intelligent management to be trusted to an}'- 

 hands other than those of an expert veterinarian. 



BLOOD SPAVIN, BOG SPAVIX, AND THOROUGHPIN. 



The blood sjjavin is situated in front and to the inside of the hock 

 and is merely a varicose or dilated condition of the saphena vein. It 

 occurs directl}'^ over the point where the bog* spavin is found, and has 

 thus been frequently confused with the latter. 



The complicated arrangement of the hock joint, and the powerful 

 tendons which pass on the posterior part, are lubricated with the 



« This bandage consists of a cloth drenched in -warm -water or a dripping bandage 

 laid around the diseased jiart, then covered by several layers of woolen blanket or 

 cloth, which is in turn covered by parchment paper, rubber cloth, or other imper- 

 vious material. Heat, moisture, and pressure is obtained by such a bandage if -water 

 is poured upon it several times daily. 



