236 Management and Treatment of the Horse. 



horse's head, there is one disease I must not 

 overlook, viz., 



POLL-EYIL. 



This disease consists of an inflammation of the 

 muscles of the neck over the poll-bone, and the 

 first vertebra of the neck. It generally extends 

 under the ligament of the neck, v^hich passes over 

 the atlas- bone. This ligament is not attached to 

 the bone, consequently the disease is deep-seated, 

 being situate between that ligament and the 

 bone itself. It is being thus deep-seated which 

 frequently renders it difficult to cure, the bone 

 itself being frequently diseased before suppura- 

 tion is set up. Before the swelling becomes very 

 conspicuous, the part is very hot and painful to 

 the touch, which can easily be noticed by the 

 motion of the horse. That it has all the painful- 

 ness of a whitlow in the human subject, the 

 symptoms fully bear out ; therefore those who 

 have had a whitlow on their finger will have some 

 sympathy for the horse when suffering from poll- 

 evil. This disease is the result of a blow on the 

 head between the ears, often caused by leading 

 the horse out of low stable doors, when the horse 

 will at times throw up its head and strike it upon 

 the door-frame with great force. If this is not 

 attended to at the time, the blood becomes con- 

 gealed, suppuration sets in, the matter finds its 

 way between the bone and muscles, and a deep 

 sloughing wound is the result before it is fully 

 recognized by the owner. Sometimes this is the 

 result of a blow given by an unmerciful rider, at 



