A SPRAIN OR STRAIN. 193 



tiniiallj aggravated by the horse lying down. Frequently such 

 cases are six weeks healing. Small wounds in connection with 

 the elbow frequently give rise to peculiar symptoms. A very 

 small wound, perhaps so small that it would escape observation, 

 may be inflicted on the point of the olecranon, or on its side, or 

 even in the space between the thoracic wall and elbow; and, as a 

 result of motion, air is pumped into the subcutaneous areolar 

 tissue. I have seen the head and neck swollen to an enormous 

 extent. Where the animal Avas kept moving for some time, I 

 have seen the entire body swell and the eyes closed by the swell- 

 ing of the lids. On passing the hand over the swelling it gives 

 out a crackling sound, and if the parts be tapped there will be 

 a peculiar drum like, dead sound. 



Such a condition need occasion no alarm; all required is to 

 find the wound, clean it well with warm water, plug it up with 

 tow dipped in collodion, and keep the animal still. In a short 

 time the air will be absorbed and the swelling disappear. If the 

 nostrils should be so swollen as to endanger life through im- 

 paired respiration, it will be necessary to puncture the skin sur- 

 rounding them; but such procedure is generally not necessary. 



INJURIES BELOW THE ELBOW. 



Injuries in this region are by no means uncommon. Sprain 

 of the radial ligament sometimes occurs, and is manifested by 

 lameness, difficulty in flexing the knee, swelling, heat, and ten- 

 derness immediately above the knee, posterior to radius. There 

 will be distension of the bursa of the tendon, which appears as 

 a fluctuating swelling at the back and slightly above the knee. 

 In some cases the perforatus and perforans muscles are in- 

 volved. In such the pain and swelling is extensive. Flexion is 

 difficult, owing to the swollen tendons being too thick to play 

 through their tliecae, just as a rope too thick for a pulley will 

 not play easily. The tendons of the various muscles concerned 

 in the flexion and extension of the limb pass through thecal upon 

 10 



