DISEASES AND INJURIES. 2OQ 



The high-heeled shoe should not be kept on the foot for 

 more than a fortnight, when its heels may be gradually 

 lowered. If considerable improvement has not taken place in 

 three weeks of this treatment, a charge may be applied to the 

 tendon. This is variously composed, but the usual ingredients 

 are Burgundy pitch and bees-wax, four parts of each ; when 

 these are melted in an iron ladle, two parts of mercurial oint- 

 ment are stirred in. When moderately warm this is plastered 

 in a thick layer over the leg by means of a spatula or hard 

 brush, pieces of cotton wool being stuck on the skin and the 

 hollows on each side of the tendon as the smearing goes on. 

 Over these the mixture is to be daubed, and when, finally, 

 sufficient has been applied to make the leg a rounded mass, a 

 long cotton bandage is tightly bound over it, the mixture being 

 laid upon this at every turn, and cotton wool placed between 

 each layer, so as to effect equable and firm pressure. If at 

 any time the layers should become loose, they may be plastered 

 with the warmed mixture. From three to five weeks is suffi- 

 ciently long to keep on this bandage. 



Splints. 



Splints are bony tumours which form either inside or out- 

 side the leg, usually the former, and generally in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the small splint bones. They most frequently 

 form in young horses, and are readily seen when the limb is 

 looked at in front. It is usually when they are forming that 

 they cause lameness, but when they are so situated as to 

 interfere with movement, the lameness may be permanent. 

 There is heat and pain on manipulation. 



The best treatment for the amateur to adopt consists in the 

 application of Goulard's lotion, already described ; this being 

 poured on to a woollen or cotton bandage, enveloping the leg 

 where the splint is forming. After a few days of this treatment 

 a little piece of the biniodide of mercury may be rubbed into 

 the skin over the tumour. Exercise should be allowed on soft 

 ground. 

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