278 DISEASES or THE HORSE. 



CHAP. XLIX. 



EXOSTOSIS. 



SpUnts. 



[" Splints are so frequent, that few horses become old without 

 them ; and, in the majority of cases, they produce neither lame- 

 ness nor inconvenience ; in other cases, however, they are at- 

 tended with much pain and severe and troublesome lameness. 

 We sometimes find large splints not only unaccompanied with 

 lameness, but which never have been so attended ; whilst others, 

 one fourth their size, will often produce severe lameness. This 

 used to be explained, or rather endeavoured to be explained, by 

 saying that the latter interfered with the sinew, and the other 

 did not. The enlargement cannot interfere with the flexor 

 sinews, and it is doubtful whether its proximity to the sus- 

 pensory ligament is ever a source of lameness. The circum- 

 stance of splints producing lameness in some cases and not in 

 others can be much better accounted for by supposing that where 

 it produces no inconvenience the ossific deposit is so gradual that 

 the periosteum, or membrane covering the bone, can accommo- 

 date itself to its increased size ; whilst in other cases the enlarge- 

 ment takes place so rapidly, that the periosteum becomes pain- 

 fully stretched, and thus produces lameness. A splint usually 

 occurs about three or four inches below the knee, but sometimes 

 we find it much lower down, and occasionally higher up. In 

 tliese latter instances the case is much worse, as it is likely to 

 interfere with the action of the knee, and in this situation is often 

 complicated with inflammation of the ligaments of the knee. 

 The proximate cause of splint may be considered as a strain of 

 the ligamentous substance which connects the small with the 

 large metacarpal bones, and which may be produced by anything 

 that throws an undue proportion of weight vipon these bones. It 

 is found far more frequently on tlie inside than the outside, which 

 is considered to be owing to the former being more under the 

 centre of gravity, and also to the circumstance that the inner 

 splint bone receives tlie whole weight of the small bone of the 

 knee, the trapezoid ; whilst, on the outside, the unciform bone 

 rests partly on the large, and thus the latter prevents the former 

 from being pressed from above beyond a certain degree. For 

 the same reason, horses that turn their toes out are most liable 

 to splints. 



" Treatment. — Professor Coleman used to say, 'A splint once 

 is a splint always;' the two bones being once united by ossific 

 matter, this connection, whatever we may do or apply, will never 



