DISEASES OF THE BONES. 



ENLARGED HOCK. 



Notwithstanding the extraordinary provision which nature 

 has made for the support and defense of the hock, this joint 

 is very susceptible of injury, through the thoughtlessness or 

 cruelty of man. A bruise or strain is very likely to be fol- 

 lowed by inflammation and lameness. These may not prove 

 permanent, a little rest sufficing to set matters all right 

 again. On the other hand, the enlargement may continue 

 to increase, until.it overspreads the entire joint. . 



The horsenran must be prepared to encounter two distinct 

 forms of this disease. The first of these is when only the 

 tendons and cartilages are aftected, in which stage the symp- 

 toms will readily yield to a few applications of the corrosive 

 liniment. The other form is that in which, from a severe 

 blow or concussion, the bone is bruised, its investing mem- 

 brane — the periosteum — is torn loose or terribly strained, and 

 bony formations take place on the surface of the bone. This 

 is a much graver condition of affairs than the other, and the 

 owner may consider himself fortunate if he can succeed in 

 removing it and restoring the horse to perfect soundness. 

 Sometimes the parts enlarge to three times their natural size, 

 with such stiffness of the joint that locomotion is painful 

 and difficult in the extreme. 



TREATMENT. 



The treatment must be precisely the same as for spavin. 

 The hot iron need not be used for drying in the liniment, 

 except in cases of bony enlargement. 



The practitioner must bear in mind what has been inti- 

 mated above; namely, that, while the horse may entirely re- 

 cover from the cartilaginous inflammation, he can not reason- 

 ably hope for great or lasting improvement, if there has 

 been much bony growth. True, he can render essential serv- 

 ice in checking the disease, and may even qualify the animal 

 for nearly .all the labors of the farm ; but for the road the 

 horse is utterly valueless. A hard day's work, a severe strain, 



