S40 DADD'S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



sprains, brought about by overwork, extraordinary feats of strength 

 in drawing heavy loads, etc. In short, either sprain, injury, blow, 

 or bruise may act as the pathological spark to bring sbout th* 

 disease. 



Regarding the treatment of ring-bone, it would be Inttivstin^, 

 and perhaps amusing, to call attention to some of the bftr«/ic 

 metliods of combating this malady ; but the animal has nervo« of 

 sensibility, and is as keenly alive to pain as one of us ; therefore 

 It is not really pleasant to dwell on the atrocities which are not 

 anfrequently practiced on this noble animal. A very common 

 error exists in the minds of some people that ring-bone is fed by 

 a bladder at the posterior part of the pastern, which has about aa 

 much to do in the production of the disease as the author of this 

 work. This error would not amount to much, however, only it 

 kas led to the infliction of a cruel operation, without the least 

 advantage ; namely, the cutting out of the bladder. Now, this so- 

 called bladder is, in reality, a bursal sac, the use of which is to 

 secrete synovia, to be used for the purpose of guarding against 

 friction ; therefore, the extraction of it must be disadvantageous to 

 the parts. 



It seems that ring-bone is not enough torment for the poor brute 

 to suifer, but he must, in addition, submit to a species of cruelty 

 unheard of in the annals of human medicine. Such treatment is 

 wrong, and every man who loves a horse should set his face against 

 it, and use every effort for the purpose of putting a step to the 

 practice of all barbarity in the treatment of domestic animals. 



Treatment. — The question to decide, when we undertase to treat 

 a case of this character is, whether the disease is in the acute or 

 chronic stage. Experience teaches us that nearly all diseases may 

 be divided into two classes : First, the acute, or those which come 

 on suddenly, attended by pain and fever, or, rather, I'ebrile symp- 

 toms ; for there are no primary fevers in the horse. Equine fevers 

 are always called into existence, or accompany a paiiologicd con- 

 dition which frequently existed, and the fever is i i exact ratio to 

 the intensity of the disease. Cure the disease and the fever ceases. 

 Acute diseases also tend to termination within ? short })eriod of 

 t'me, or else run into the chronic stage. Seooidly, the chronic 

 stage. Chronic diseases are those of slow progress, and exceed in 

 duration the ordinary existence of the acute class. They maj 

 irise iu consequerce of acutp disrrders, or be d veloped ^riginallf 



