500 SPEAIN OF THE TLEXOE TENDONS. 



Firing and Blistering. — In severe cases, or when the 

 injury has been neglected, it will in all probability be necessary 

 to fire and blister the patient ; these measures, however, 

 should not be resorted to at the onset. The animal should be 

 treated, for two or three weeks prior to these operations being 

 performed, as directed in page 499 ; then fire and blister the 

 limb, and place the animal in a roomy, comfortable box, and 

 there allow him to remain for two or three months afterwards. 



Tor every particular relating to Firing and Blistering, and 

 the treatment of the animal after being operated upon, see 

 remarks contained in pages 161 to 167. 



SPAYIN. 



Spavin, Navicular Disease, Eing Bone, and Sprain of the 

 metacarpal ligament, are perhaps the worst forms of disease 

 which can possibly attack the locomotive apparatus of the 

 horse. 



Spavin is well known, to be a disease which affects the hock. 

 Its predisposing causes are bad formation of the limbs ; these 

 are hereditary causes. The exciting causes are sprain of the 

 joint and injuries arising from violent concussion to the small 

 bones of the hock. 



As Spavin is a disease of common occurrence, and one the 

 pathology of which is far from being generally understood, I 

 will endeavour to place before the reader such leading facts, in 

 relation to it, as will enable him at least to comprehend its 

 principal features. 



"Without entering into elaborate details respecting the 

 anatomy and physiology of the hock, I may state that its uses 

 are twofold : first, it facilitates the motion of the limb ; and 

 secondly, it resists concussion. A reference to the engraving 

 (page 502), which represents the inner surface of the joint (a 



