DISEASES OF THE BONES. 



759 



" The hoek -joint corresponds to the heel in man, and has no 

 fewer than ten bones entering into its formation, an acquaintance 

 with the arrangement of 

 which is necessary be- 

 fore the complexities of 

 hock diseases can be un- 

 derstood. The bones of 

 the leg, (seo Fig. 647,) 

 the shank-bone g,' and 

 the two small splint 

 bones behind h, support 

 the lower layer of the 

 bones of the hock. The 

 cube-bone d rests prin- 

 cipally on the shank- 

 bone, and in a slight de- 

 gree on the outer splint- 

 bone. The middle 

 wedgebone / rests en- 

 tirely upon the shank- 

 bone, and the smaller 

 wedge-bone (not seen in 

 the cut) presses in a very 

 slight degree on the 

 shank-bone, but princi- 

 pally or almost entirely 

 on the inner splint- 

 bone. Then the splint- 

 bone sustains a very un- 

 equal degree of concus- 

 sion and weight. Not 

 only is the inner one 

 placed more under the 

 body, and nearer the 

 center of gravity, but it 

 has almost the whole of 

 the weight and concus- 

 sion communicated to 

 the smaller cuneiform 

 bone carried on to it. It 

 is not, therefore, to be 

 wondered at that, in 

 the violent action of this joint in galloping, leaping, heavj'' draught, 

 and especially in young horses, and before the limbs have become 

 properly knit, the inner splint-bone, or its ligaments, or the sub- 

 stance which connects it with the shank-bone, should suffer injury." 



Different views of the bones of the hock can be seen more 

 clearly by referring to Figs. 644, 64-5, in the first part of this 

 chapter. Also Figs. 648-651 show the various changes of struct- 



FiG. 647. — Bones of the hock enlarged. 



