WOUNDS. 445 



panied either by a train of fatal consequences, or at best 

 there followed a complete anchylosed joint. 



The articular cavities most subject to exposure are those 

 of the scapula with the humerus or shoulder joint ; of the 

 knee ; of the pasterns, before and behind ; of the stifle ; 

 and of the hock ; of all which the knee is the most liable to 

 this injury. Of the hursce mucosa;, poll-evil sometimes 

 opens important ones ; the semi-cartilaginous cap of the 

 flexor brachii, which runs over the point of the shoulder, 

 furnishes a bursae mucosae, which, when exposed, is apt to be 

 mistaken for an opening into the shoulder joint. The elbow 

 presents others also : a considerable one is situated behind 

 the knee, and lesser ones are found belonging to the various 

 ligaments and tendons which surround the joint ; an open- 

 ing into these is sometimes mistaken for one made into 

 the great articular cavity. The thecal sheaths of the flexor 

 tendons or back sinews are bursal sacs ; large ones furnish 

 the pasterns before and behind, whose dilatations are called 

 windgalls. We likewise find bursse in the stifle : the point 

 of the hock presents one sufliciently known, as being the 

 seat of a dilatation called capped-hock, and around this 

 joint, as around the knee, individual bursal cavities exist, 

 through which the tendons run. 



The symptoms, progress; and the consequences of open- 

 ings into these cavities as regards all of them are nearly the 

 same ; they difler only in degree : the course and the 

 eflfects are likely to vary according to circumstances, A 

 general view shall be taken of the whole, and then parti- 

 cular cases will be separately noticed. An opening is made 

 into one of these cavities by a fall, by a blow, or stab, or 

 puncture ; and the injury appears in the form of an incised 

 or lacerated wound, then inflammation taking place at first 

 increases the synovial secretion. Its presence is detected 

 by the glairy white-of-egg-like fluid, mingled with the ex- 

 uding moisture. The synovia will continue to flow, until 

 the adhesive inflammation starts up, which will form a 

 lasting plug to the orifice. Or otherwise, the intensity of 

 the inflammatory process will convert the synovial secretion 

 into one, first thinner, next bloody and partly purulent ; ' 

 until the synovial surface is destroyed, or the articular 



