EXOSTOSIS. 281 



and, after that, evaporating applications to the part, with the 

 immersion of the limb frequently in a bucket of cold water. 

 When perfectly cool, but not before, we may resort to counter- 

 irritation. If the horse is blistered, the operation should 'be 

 repeated two or three times, or the iodine and mercurial oint- 

 ment may be substituted. If firing be employed, it is necessary 

 to fire deeply, and we may blister a few weeks afterwards. 

 Turning out to grass is desirable, as it insures a long rest ; or, 

 what is still better, after the horse has rested for one montli, 

 sending him to plougli for several more on soft ground, sup- 

 posing, of course, that he is adapted for such labour. 



" Professor Sewell recommends the operation of periosteotomy 

 for cases of ringbones as well as for splints." — Ed.] 



[" Ossification of the lateral cartilages is commonly knoAvn by 

 the term " false ringbones." It is produced by concussion, and, 

 consequently, heavy horses, with high action, are more liable to 

 it than others, and more particularly if they are employed on the 

 London pavement. It generally comes on slowly, and originates 

 in different parts of the cartilage in different horses ; sometimes 

 commencing at the anterior part of the cartilage, but more 

 frequently at the posterior and inferior part. A great portion 

 of the heavy dray horses in London have ossified cartilages ; and 

 in the country nothing is more common than for cart horses 

 with ossified cartilages to work on the road, and particularly at 

 plough, entirely free from lameness. The lateral cartilages, 

 when ossified, are considerably larger than before : they con- 

 sequently press on the skin and the surrounding parts, and in 

 this way assist in producing lameness and inconvenience. 



" Treatment. — We are rarely called upon to treat the disease, 

 unless it is attended with lameness, which may either be pro- 

 duced by inflammation going on in the part, or from the greater 

 jar the foot receives from the loss of an important spring. If 

 the former be the case, our object must be to remove the in- 

 flammatory disposition, and to stay the further deposition of 

 bone. Should there be any appearance of heat externally, we 

 may first bleed from the coi'onet, and afterwards jDroceed to 

 counter-irritation, blistering the part several times. 



" If the ossification is fully formed, and there are no signs of 

 active inflammation s-oino; on, we can then do little more than 

 endeavour to diminish the jar of the foot. It is the practice in 

 these cases to fire the coronet, but no benefit can be effected 

 by the operation ; it is both empirical and unmeaning. We 

 shall, however, find much benefit from the use of leather soles, 

 taking care that the part applied to the heels is the thickest. 

 In conjunction with leather, bar shoes resting lightly on the 

 frogs will afford still greater relief. If leather soles are not 



