164 AMERICA!^ FARMER'S HORSE BOOK 



CHAPTER Vn. 



DISEASES OF THE MUSCLES AND TENDONS. 

 FISTULA. 



This terrible enemy of the horse makes its appearance 

 upon the withers, just at the top of the shoulder-blade — at 

 first usually upon only one side, from which, however, it 

 is very apt to pass to the other. There seems to be a great 

 lack of popular information in regard to it; for, while all 

 know the causes that ordinarily produce it, and also its gen- 

 eral location, few stop to inquire what the particular part is 

 which is chiefly affected, or in precisely what manner the 

 disease operates. A bruise of some kind^is nearly always its 

 cause. This the horse ma}^ receive in various ways; for 

 example, by striking the top of the shoulders in passing 

 through a low stable-door, by kicks or bites from another 

 animal, by the pressure of an illy-iitting saddle, or by roll- 

 ing upon stones or roots. 



A large tendon or ligament is situated upon the top of the 

 shoulders, immediately under the upper portion of the shoul- 

 der-blade, where it acts as a sort of pad for the bone to rest 

 upon, and thus prevents the friction of pressure against the 

 ribs. Its scientific name is the serrates major — that is, the 

 great saw-shaped — but it is properly known as the " tough 

 leather," or whitleather." This ligament reaches over and 

 across the back, and by a cartilaginous connection is joined 

 to the point of the vertebra, or back-bone. When injured, 

 it is subject to acute inflammation, and from this simple fact 

 result the whole phenomenon and rationale of fistula. 



In their healthy state, the fibers which compose the serrates 

 major look very much like little strings about the size of a 

 small knitting-needle, but when inflamed they become as 



