42 VETERINARY LECTURES 



the periosteum. At times a good plaster bandage has a grand 

 effect. 



71. Ostitis is inflammation of the bone, and may be due to an 

 injury, or may arise from constitutional or hereditary causes — tuber- 

 cular or scrofulous, or from other diseases, such as attacks of 

 rheumatism. Sometimes a very slight injury may set up inflam- 

 mation of the. bone, and cause bony material or exudate to be 

 thrown out, forming bony enlargements, such as splint, ringbone, 

 and spavin. These deposits are known as exostosis or osteoma, 

 and our endeavour should be to find out the exact place affected, 

 and apply such remedies as will hurry on the inflammation to 

 resolution and consolidation, and thus form a true bony deposit. 

 For treatment, nothing beats the application of cold water. When 

 there is no water-main, such as is found in most towns, this treat- 

 ment can be accomplished by elevating a large cask or tub filled 

 with water, and connecting with it one end of a piece of -|-inch 

 indiarubber piping, 10 or 12 or more feet long, the other end of 

 which is secured over the parts affected or to the horse's limb by a 

 bandage or other appliance, and when this is fastened to the part 

 requiring irrigation, it secures a constant stream of water on the 

 syphon principle — tub and tube irrigation. When the inflamma- 

 tion has abated, a smart blister may be applied, or, where applicable, 

 the plaster bandage may be used. 



72. Caries or Ulceration of the bone is a molecular death of 

 a portion of the bony structure, which has a worm-eaten appearance. 

 There is no bone in the body that is not subject to this affliction, but 

 it affects some bones more commonly than others. The pain is 

 continuous, and wears the animal down. The strength must be 

 supported with good nutritious diet, while cold applications should 

 at first be resorted to, followed by blisters, firing, punching, and, 

 when practicable, cutting down on the part and scraping with a bone 

 spoon, thus endeavouring to bring about healthy action. These 

 latter operations should be in the hands of a professional man. If 

 the disease is near to or in connexion with a joint, the object should 

 be, if the animal is likely to be of any service afterwards, to hasten 



