260 THE FORE LEGS. 



pus is produced on the wound, and then a little friar's balsam will probably effect a 

 cure. 



The opening of the joint, however, being ascertained, the first and immediate care 

 is to close the orifice ; for the fluid which separated and lubricated the bones of the 

 knee being suffered to escape, they will be brought into contact with and will rub 

 upon each other; the delicate membrane with which they are covered will be highly 

 inflamed ; the constitution will be speedily affected, and a degree of fever will ensue 

 that will destroy the horse : while, in the mean time, of all the tortures that can be 

 inflicted on the poor animal, none can equal that which accompanies inflammation of 

 the membranes lining the joints. 



The manner of closing the orifice must be left to the judgment of the veterinary 

 surgeon, who alone is capable of properly treating such a case. It may be effected 

 by a compress enclosing the whole of the wound, and not to be removed for many 

 days ; or it may be attempted by the old and generally successful method of apply- 

 ing the hot iron over the wound, and particularly over the spot where the ligament 

 appears to be lacerated. A poultice may then be placed on the part, and the case 

 treated as a common wound. The surgeon will find no difficulty in determining 

 whether the sharp edge of the common firing-iron should be used — as would be the 

 case if the laceration is considerable, or whether the budding-iron should be resorted 

 to. After the use of the cautery, the application of a blister may, in some cases, be 

 serviceable. Should the joint-oil continue to flow, the iron may be applied a second, 

 or even a third time. By its application, so much swelling is produced on the imme- 

 diate puncture, and in the neiglibouring parts, as mechanically to close and plug up 

 the orifice. 



If, however, the opening into the joint is extensive, and the joint-oil continues to 

 flow, and the horse is evidently suffering much pain, humanity will dictate that he 

 should be destroyed. The case is hopeless. A high degree of fever will ere long 

 carry him off, or the inflammation will cause a deposit of matter in the cavity of the 

 joint that will produce incurable lameness. 



The pain caused by the iron is doubtless great; it is, however, necessary : but let 

 no reader of "The Horse" permit the torturing experiments of the farrier to be tried, 

 who will frequently inject stimulating fluids, and even oil of vitriol, into one of the 

 most sensible and irritable cavities in the whole frame. 



A person well acquainted with the anatomy of the part will judge of the proba- 

 bility of a favourable result, not merely by the extent, but by the situation of the 

 wound. If it is low down, and opposite to the bottom row of the bones of the knee, 

 a small opening into the joint will be easily closed. A larger one needs not to cause 

 despair, because there is little motion between the lower row and the bones of the 

 leg. If it is high up, there is more danger, because there is more motion. If it is 

 situated opposite to the union of the two rows, the result is most to be dreaded, be- 

 cause between these is the principal motion of the joint, and that motion will not 

 only disunite and irritate the external wound, but cause a dreadful friction between 

 the bones brought into actual contact with each other, through the loss of the joint- 

 oil. 



Among the various methods of treating opened knee-joint, where the lesion is very 

 considerable, is one introduced by Mr. Turner, of Croydon, which must not be passed 

 over in silence. The wound having been cleansed, a paste is prepared composed of 

 wheaten flour and table-beer, which are stirred together and boiled for five minutes, 

 or until they become of the consistence commonly used by paper-hangers. This is 

 spread on the wound, and round the joint, and four inches above and below it. 

 Pledgets of tow are passed over this and confined in their places by means of a stock- 

 ing, and over the whole is another layer, and another stocking or bandage. This is 

 not removed until the joint has closed, and the synovia ceases to flow. On the second 

 or third day the bandage will become dry and hard, and cause fonsiderahle ])ain. I". 

 must not be meddled with before or behind, but four lontritudinal incisions may he 

 made through the bandages on each side, which will sufliciently liberate the joint and 

 remove the pain.* 



When the knee has been much lacerated, although the wound may be healed, some 

 blemish will remain. Tlie extent of this blemish will depend on that of tlie original 



* A full account of this interesting operation may be found in the Veterinarian for 1829. 



