HORSE. 



and liardeneil, and are termed wind- 

 galls ; they blemish tlic horse, but 

 are no cause of lameness after the 

 inflammation has subsided, unless 

 they become very much enlarged. 

 The cautery will then be the best 

 cure. Immediately above the hock, 

 enlargements of a similar nature are 

 sometimes found, and, as they pro- 

 ject both inwardly and outwardly, 

 they ai"e termed thorough pins. They 

 are seldom a cause of lameness, but 

 they indicate great, and perhaps in- 

 jurious exertion of the joint. On the 

 inside of the hock a tumour of this 

 kind, but of a more serious nature, is 

 found. It is one of these enlarged 

 mucous bags, but very deeply seated, 

 the subcutaneous vein of the hock 

 passing over it. The course of the 

 blood through the vein is thus, in some 

 measure, arrested, and a portion of 

 the vessel becomes distended. This 

 is a serious evil ; for, from the deep- 

 seatedness of the mucous bag, it is 

 almost impossible to act effectually 

 upon it. It is termed hog or Hood 

 spavin. 



" The cellular tissue which fills the 

 interstices of the various organs, or 

 enters into their texture, is the seat 

 of many diseases. From the badness 

 of the harness, or the brutality of the 

 attendant, the poll of the horse be- 

 comes contused. Inflammation is 

 set up, considerable swelling ensues, 

 and an ulcerative process soon com- 

 mences, and chasms and sinuses of 

 the most frightful extent begin to ap- 

 pear. The withers are probably bruis- 

 ed, and the same process takes place 

 there, and sinuses penetrate deep be- 

 neath the shoulder, and the bones of 

 the williers are frequently exposed. 

 These abscesses are termed poll evil 

 and fistulous mthcrs, and in the treat- 

 ment of them the horse is often tor- 

 tured to a dreadful and disgraceful 

 extent. A better mode of manage- 

 ment has, however, been introduced : 

 setons are passed through the most 

 dependant parts ; no collection of sa- 

 nious fluid is permitted to exist, and 

 milder stimulants are applied to the 

 surface of the ulcer. 



"An abscess of a peculiar charac- 

 400 



ter is found between the branches of 

 the lower jaw in young horses ; it is 

 preceded by some degree of fever. It 

 is usually slow in its progress, but at 

 length it attains a considerable size, 

 including the whole of the cellular 

 tissue in that neighbourhood. There 

 is one uniform mass of tumefaction. 

 This is strangles. Vivcs appears to 

 be the first stage of this disease. It 

 seems to be an effort of nature to get 

 rid of something which oppresses the 

 constitution, and the treatment of it 

 is now simple and effectual. It is 

 encouraged by fomentations and by 

 blisters : it is punctured as soon as 

 the fluctuation of a fluid within it can 

 be fairly detected, the pus speedily 

 escapes, and there is an end of the 

 matter. 



"To one disease of the absorbent 

 system a brief reference must be 

 made. 



" Farcy. — While the arterial capil- 

 laries are engaged in building up the 

 frame, the absorbents are employed 

 in removing that which not only is 

 useless, but which would be poison- 

 ous and destructive. They take up 

 the matter of glanders and of every 

 ulcerating surface, and they are occa- 

 sionally irritated, inflamed, and ul- 

 cerated, from the acrimonious nature 

 of the poison which they carry. The 

 absorbents are furnished with numer- 

 ous valves ; the fluid is, for a while, 

 arrested by them, and there the in- 

 flammation is greatest, and ulcera- 

 tion takes place. This is the history 

 of the farcy cords and buds. Farcy 

 is a highly contagious disease, wheth- 

 er or not it be connected with glan- 

 ders. It, however, occasionally ad- 

 mits of cure from the application of 

 the cautery to the bud, and the ad- 

 ministration of very small doses of 

 corrosive sublimate, or the sulphate 

 of iron, internally. 



" The skin of the horse is subject 

 to various diseases. Large pimples, 

 or lumps, suddenly appear on the 

 skin, and, after remaining a few days, 

 the cuticle peels off, and a circular 

 scaly spot is left : this is called sur- 

 feit. The cause is obscure, but prin- 

 cipally referable to indigestion. A 



