BONES 57 



losis of the upper and lower pastern bones (Plate VII., Fig. 2) 

 or of the lower and coffin bone. Ring bone occurs more frequently 

 in the light-legged horses and half-breeds, also more often in the 

 hind pastern than the fore, and is accompanied by stiffness and 

 lameness, but the pain and enlargement of the parts are the most 

 pronounced symptoms. 



m. Treatment of ring bone is mainly unsatisfactory. Give 

 rest, and try to arrest the progress of the inflammation and prevent 

 the deposition of bony matter ; and for this there is nothing better 

 than a bandage of meadow hay rolled up nicely and put round the 

 leg (but not too tightly), and kept constantly soaked with cold 

 water until the inflammation is reduced. Follow this up with 

 blisters and firing, the hot prongs preferred, assisted by the applica- 

 tion of a shoe suitable to the case, according to the form of lameness 

 and parts affected. 



112. Side Bone and Navicular Disease.— These are fully 

 explained under Lecture IV., on 'The Horse's Foot — Shoeing, 

 etc' (pars. 192 and 199). 



113. Stifle Joint Disease.— This joint, which corresponds to 

 the knee of man, being a double joint, is, more particularly in an 

 old horse, subject to extensive disease of the bone from hereditary 

 and rheumatic causes (Plate IX., No. jo). The bone becomes 

 carious (worm-eaten), the cartilages are absorbed, and a porcella- 

 neous deposit takes place between the ends of the bones. Treat- 

 ment is of very little use. At the outset rest and cold water 

 applications, followed by blistering, firing, and setoning, may have a 

 beneficial effect, or a charge may be applied (par. 1061). 



114. Bone Spavin. — A bony enlargement due to inflammation 

 of the head of the metatarsal or shank bone and the cuneiform 

 bones, with a deposition of bony material, which at times forms an 

 exostosis, or bony enlargement, at the lower, inner part, and partially 

 to the front, of the hock joint of the horse (Plate IX., No. 34), 

 and which in many cases causes great pain and lameness and a 

 form of unsoundness. It is brought on by injury or overexertion, 



