CHAPTER VIII. 



DISEASES OF THE BONES AND ARTICULATIONS^' 



CLASSIFICATION OP THE BONES OSTITIS — SORE SHINS — SPLINTS-— 



PECULIAKITY 01 SPLINT LAMENESS — SCROFULOUS OSTITIS. 



The diseases affectm© the bones of the lower animals may, for 

 the convenience of description, be classified under two heads, 

 namely, inflammatory and non-inflammatory. The liiiC of de- 

 marcation between tlie two is not very well defined, as what may 

 be essentially a non-inflammatory disease in itself might be 

 productive of inflammation. Inflammation of bone (ostitis^ ofit 

 scarcely be considered independently of inflammation of the'pefi- 

 ostium (periostitis), as both structures are so closely related that 

 we cdiinot have inflammation of the one, without the other par- 

 -tJcipating in the diseased aotloru 



A correct knowledge of the pathology of bone being of the 

 j^i-eatest importance to the veterinarian, and the study of this 

 particular branch of veterinary pathology having hitherto been 

 neglected by tlie profession, I feel it necessary to give a slight 

 outline of tlie general anatomy of bone, in order that its patho- 

 louy may be better understood. 



Bones are di^^ded into long, shorty flat, and irregular. With 

 the exception of the cranial bones, tlie short, irregular, and flat 

 bones are composed cliiefly of cancellated tissue enclosed in a 

 thin shell ; and it is found that, owing to their structure, they, as 

 well as the extremities of the long bones, undergo pathological 

 changes somewhat similar to those of the softer structures. 



The bones of the cranium are composed of two bony plates — 

 a very dense one internally, another less dense externally, and 

 an intermediate vascular and medullary structure. 



