432 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



lotion, as carbolic acid. Occasionally, however, the healing process 

 " hangs fire ", as the old practitioners used to say, and then a stimulating 

 lotion to encourage granulation is required. 



Another line of treatment is to pass a piece of tape (seton) besmeared 

 with some digestive ointment to the very bottom of the wound and bring 

 it out again at a lower level. This is a very common and sometimes 

 successful practice when both sides of the neck are affected, the tape being 

 passed from one side to the other and allowed to remain until the wound 

 has healed, leaving only the canal through which the tape passes, when it 

 may be removed and the canal allowed to heal up. 



When either the great ligament of the neck or the bone is diseased, it 

 becomes a very formidable case, because both these structures have a slow 

 circulation and little reparative material is brought to them. Then again, 

 they are so deeply situated that it is difficult to get at them to cut away 

 any diseased part. When, therefore, either of these structures is involved, 

 we may be sure it will take a long time even months before a cure can 

 be effected. Finally, we may say there is no hard-and-fast line of treat- 

 ment in these cases, but each has to be taken on its own merits and 

 treatment adopted accordingly. 



Prevention. It will be readily seen from the foregoing that poll evil 

 may be prevented by having the stable doors arid ceiling high enough to 

 prevent the horse striking the top of its head, also having light and well- 

 fitting bridles, and a kindly-disposed and attentive groom or .horse-keeper, 

 so that should any chafing occur he would give it immediate attention, and 

 so ward off' a most troublesome disease. 



FISTULOUS WITHERS 



This may be defined as a sinuous wound on the wither, or that part 

 between the neck and back at the top of the shoulder-blade. 



Causes. These are similar to those of poll evil, viz. injuries, and are 

 usually inflicted by the collar or saddle bruising the skin and tissues 

 beneath, on the top, or at the side of the withers. It may be caused by 

 the structures being pinched between the collar and a badly-fitting saddle. 



A very common cause is the chafing produced by the edge of the rug, 

 especially when it is fixed by a buckle or strap at the breast and the rug 

 shifts back until its edge is drawn tight over the withers and chafes the 

 skin at this part; or it may result from injury inflicted while rolling, or 

 being cast in the stable, or from a bite from another horse. 



The symptoms at first are usually a small swelling, which is rather 

 sore and tense, on the top of the withers, or it may be to one side. If this 



