158 



DISEASES OF THE BONES AND AUTICULATIOKS. 



PECULIAIHTY OF SPLINT LAlklENESS. 



The lameness may precede the ap' 

 pearance of any swelling or deposit^tmcf 

 in such a case it is apt to be confounded 

 with that arising from other diseases. 

 But if the following observations are 

 kept in remembrance, no mistake. ne6(L 

 be made :— r 



1st. The age of the animal. The 

 young horse is most liable to splint 

 lameness, the older horse to navi- 

 cular disease. 



2d. The peculiarity of action. A 

 horse la^me from splint will walk ap- 

 parently or nearly sound, but ^\•ilI 

 trot very ^ame, the drop of the head 

 and body upon the sound side being 

 very great, and out of all proportion 

 to the apparent soundness of the walk. 



^d. A want of flexion may bo oU- 

 ■c 01 r» 1- * ^ served at the knee. 



Fig. 23. — Ordinary form of . 



«plint on the inner side of near Ath. When the patient first COme* 



fore leg involving the large . ^^^ -g ^^^^ ^ ^^^^ j^^ ^^y 



and small metacarpals. lU the * ' . 



original specimen the inter- moderately souud, but after a time 

 cB*e«u8 ligament is not ossified. ^-^^ lamencss increases, the concussion 



bein<» a cause of pain. In navicular disease the lamenesa 

 generally decreases with exercise. 



5th. Pressure upon the part of the leg where splint is likely 

 to be will cause pain ; some heat is present ; and, by a careful 

 manipulation, a hard swelling perhaps smaller than a pea may be 

 felt. In some cases the exostoses soon develop themselves, and. 

 then there can be no further difficulty ; but in others, this does not 

 occur for several weeks, and these are most unsatisfactory to the 

 surgeon. In some rare cAses the lameness is very excessive, 

 the horse being scarcely able to put any weight upon the 

 affected limb; standing with the toe only touching tlie ground, 

 with great heat and swelling of the part affected, at the same 

 time suffering from constitutional disturbance to a considerable 

 degree. In such a case, the treatment must be prompt, to. 



