POLL-EVIL. 297 



tents of digestive ointment, tincture of myrrh, &c. ; but this is 

 seldom the case, find rejKated dressings with caustic tents are 

 generally necessary.* As soon as the bottom of the soi-e is 

 arrived at, it will often be found that the tops of the spinous 

 processes, or the ligament covering them, have been injured, 

 and the bare bone may be distinctly felt with the probe. When 

 this is the case, the bone must be scraped with a suitable in- 

 strument, and then dressed with tincture of myrrh ; after this 

 the wound will readily heal by continuing to dress it with tinc- 

 ture of myrrh or digestive ointment, according to the directions 

 given in the cluipter on wounds. 



[Fistulous withers sometimes proceeds from a carcinomatous 

 tumour which at iirst may assume the appearance of a wen or 

 encysted tumour, and may be found between or above the 

 shoulder blades. I have known such tumour exist for three or 

 four years before it suppurated, when, by bursting its cyst, it be- 

 came the cause of fistulous withers of a very virulent character. 

 This fact forcibly points to the desirableness of cutting out 

 these tumours iu an early stage. — Ed.] 



Poll-Evil 



This disease may be produced by a mangy horse rubbing his 

 head under the manger, and sometimes lifting it up suddenly 

 when fi-ightened, and also by hanging back upon his halter. It is 

 more frequently })roduced by striking the poll in going under a 

 narrow doorway, or running back when partially got through. 

 The part principally injured is the sharp ridge of tlie occiput 

 and the neighbouring parts; and thus the mischief being so 

 deep seated, it is some time before the swelling appears exter- 

 nally, and still longer before the matter approaches the surface. 

 The matter that forms in consequence being so completely con- 

 fined, spreads and renders carious the under surface of the 

 ligament of the neck, as well as the posterior part of the occi- 

 pital bone, and sometimes the atlas or first bone of the neck 

 also. I once attended the opening of a horse that was never 

 suspected of having a disease, but died in consequence of son;ie 

 accident. On cutting off* the head, I found that the first bone 

 of the neck, as well as the under surface of the great cervical 

 ligament which passes over it, were highly diseased. Since that 

 I have examined another horse that died of an inflammatory 

 disense ; I had no susjiicion of any disease in the ligaments 

 which, unite the two first vertebra? of the neck, but merely 

 wished to examine the part. I found them, however, in a state 

 of disease. This disorder, then, is precisely of the same nature 



* The clilorlde of lane has been employed successfully mtliese cases. — Ed. 



