LAMENESS IN THE FORE LEG 85 



bracliii (flexor braehii). The capsule extends downward be- 

 neath the origin of these digital flexors. This fact should be 

 remembered in dealing with puncture woimds in the region, lest 

 an error be made in estimating their extent and an open joint 

 be overlooked at the initial examination. 



Etiology and Occurrence. — Exclusive of specific or metastatic 

 arthritis, which is seldom observed except in young animals, in- 

 flammation of the elbow joint is usually caused by injury. This 

 articulation is not subject to pathologic changes due to concus- 

 sion or sprains as occasioned by ordinary service, but is fre- 

 quently injured by contusion from falls, blows from the wagon- 

 pole and kicks. Wounds which affect the elbow joint, then, may 

 be thought of in most cases, as resultant from external violence. 

 They may be contused wounds or penetrant wounds. Sharp 

 shoe-calks afford a means of infliction of penetrant wounds which 

 may occasion open joint and infectious arthritis. 



Classification.— A practical manner of classifying inflamma- 

 tion of the elbow is on an etiological basis. Eliminating the 

 forms of elbow inflammation, such as are caused by metastatic 

 infection and other conditions which properly belong to the do- 

 main of theory of practice, we may consider this affection under 

 the classification of contusive wounds and penetrative tvounds. 



Symptomatology. — Any injury which is of sufficient violence 

 to occasion inflannnation of the elbow causes marked lameness 

 and manifestation of pain. The degree of lameness and distress 

 manifested by the subject, depends upon the nature and extent 

 of the involvement. A contusion suffered as the result of a fall, 

 which occasions a circumscribed inflammation of the structures 

 covering this joint and where little inflammation of the articu- 

 lating parts exists, marked evidence of pain and lameness might 

 be absent. On the other hand, if a true arthritis is incited, there 

 will be evident distress manifested, .such as hurried respiration, 

 accelerated pulse, inappetence, mixed lameness, local evidence 

 of inflammation and particularly marked supersensitiveness of 

 the affected parts. Considering these two extremes of manifested 

 distrcvss and injury, one may readily conclude that in the fre- 

 quently seen case, wherein contusion has occasioned a moderate 



