294 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



We find that sinews and ligaments will heal readily, allhongh 

 not so rapidly as the flesh. — Ed.] 



Opened Joints. 



[When in a broken knee the joint is found to be opened, — 

 Avhich, however, cannot always be ascertained at first, — it 

 becomes a very serious affair, and must no longer be treated as 

 a common wound. Our prognosis in such case will depend on 

 the extent of the wound, particularly that of the capsular 

 ligament, and on the circumstance as to whether inflammation 

 has been set up in the cavity of the joint. 



In the treatment of such cases our object must be to close the 

 joint as quickly as possible, and thus to prevent the escape of 

 synovia ; unless we succeed in doing this, the inflammation of 

 the knee will greatly increase, and the discharge of synovia be- 

 come augmented in quantity, partly coagulating as it escapes 

 from the knee, and hanoino- in lar2;e flakes from the Avound ; 

 the animal, from the pain experienced, keeps the knee in a bent 

 position, or paws with the foot continuall}'. A vast deal of fever 

 is excited in the system, which in some cases wears down the 

 animal, and produces death. In other cases, bony substance is 

 thrown out round the joint, which at length closes the wound, 

 but destroys the motion of the joint, and renders the animal 

 useless. 



To prevent such result we must l)y no means keep poulticing 

 or fomenting the knee, as this will only encourage the discharge 

 and keep up the irritation ; the real soothing method will be the 

 application of styptics or caustics to the knee. In many cases, 

 if tlie opening is small the application of the hot budding-iron 

 will produce an eschar that will close the wound ; or if it be a 

 punctured wound, the application of lunar caustic, cut to a point, 

 will accomplish our purpose. In other cases, wdiere the injury is 

 more extensive, the a})plication of spirits of wine saturated with 

 corrosive sublimate several times a day, as recommended by jMr, 

 Dawson, has succeeded. The clot of coagulated synovia should 

 not be removed from the wound, but the caustic api)lied round 

 it. It may sometimes bc3 necessary to apply the sublimate in a 

 solid state, alone or mixed with flour or powdered chalk. 



It is very important to keep the animal in a state of perfect 

 quietude ; he should be removed to the nearest stable, but by 

 no means walked a considerable distance after the accident. The 

 leg should be kept as straight as possible, and, if necessary, 

 splints should be placed at the back of the knee. The animal 

 sliould by no means be allowed to lie down, as this will 0[)ea 

 the wound and increase the in-itation. In many cases it will 

 be judicious to suspend the horse by means of slings. In severe 



