LAMENESS IN THE FORE LEG 75 



the size of the animal), of this mixture is injected into the atro- 

 phied parts at different points, taking care to introduce only 

 about one to two cubic centimeters at each point of injection. 

 The syringe should be sterile and, needless to say, the site of 

 injections must be surgically clean. 



Other agents, such as tincture of iodin, solutions of silver 

 nitrate, saline solutions and various more or less irritating prep- 

 arations have been employed ; but in the use of these preparations 

 one may either fail to stimulate sufficient inflammation to cause 

 regeneration to take place, or infection is apt to occur. Where 

 suppuration results, surgical evacuation of pus must be promptly 

 effected else large suppurating cavities form. 



The employment of setons constitutes a dependable method of 

 treatment of shoulder atrophy, but because of the attendant sup- 

 purative process which inevitably results, this method is not 

 popular with modern surgeons and is a last resort procedure. 



After-care. — Regular exercise such as the horse usually takes 

 when at pasture, is very helpful in treating atrophy, and in some 

 cases it has been found that no reasonable amount of irritation 

 would stimulate muscular regeneration; but by later allowing 

 patients to exercise at will, recovery took place in a satisfactory 

 manner. No special attention is ordinarily necessary. 



Paralysis of the Suprascapular Nerve. 



Anatomy. — The suprascapular (anterior scapular) nerve, a 

 small branch of the brachial plexus, is given off from the an- 

 terior portion of this plexus. The nerve rounds the anterior 

 border of the neck of the scapula, passing upward and backward 

 under the supraspinatus (antea-spinatus) muscle and terminat- 

 ing in the infraspinatus (postea-spinatus) muscle. 



Etiology and Occurrence. — As the result of direct injury to 

 this nerve by contusion such as may be received in runaway 

 accidents, collar bruises, especially collar bruises in young horses 

 that are not accustomed to pulling and that walk in a manner 

 to cause side draft, injury to the nerve occurs, and partial or 

 complete paralysis supervenes. Some writers state that it may 

 be produced by confining an animal in recumbency, with the 



