354 DISEASES OF TUE FEET. 



the essential nature and course of the disease. In tlie gelatinous 

 degeneration, all the cartilages of incrustation become gradually 

 covered over by masses of new deposition, which extend wher- 

 ever there is a synovial membrane. In the recent state, tliis 

 tioi)o.sit has a gluey or jelly-like character varyuig in colour 

 from pale yellow to dark brown, and is generally intersected by 

 lines of white membraneous structure. This is the more general 

 character "of gelatinous disease; but there is another condition, 

 in which the membrane assumes a sort of granular or fungoid* 

 appearance on the surface. This has been described as pulpy^ 

 degeneration; but all the phenomena are the same as in tlie' 

 former case, and there is no use in making a distinction between 

 the two conditions. The deposit fills up the whole joint, audi 

 acts as a kind of soft cushion, protecting tlie ends of the bones,' 

 BO that at first, when the swelling is most marked, tliere is coigd 

 paratively little pain. 



" The cartilage of incrustation is removed by absorption ; thff 

 absorption is induced by the pressure of the new material on its 

 surface, or by a peculiar action which the deposited substance 

 exerts upon the cartilage. All tlio textures are ultimately in- 

 volved ; not only the synovial membrane and the cartilage, but 

 also the fibrous textures and the areolar tissue. This gives rise 

 to disorganization, and the formation of abscesses and sinuses ia! 

 all directions." — (Spence's Lectures on Surfjeri/.) 



My object in describing this comparison'l'between the white 

 swelling of the human joints and the th'sorganization that so 

 frequently succeeds neurotomy, is to show how a similar patho- 

 logical condition may be induced by a circumstance which at 

 fii-st seems to be so very dissimilar; — in the human being, a 

 constitutional taint ; in the horse, removal of a portion of the 

 sentient nerve. Further inquiry may discover that the disease 

 IVom constitutional taint is in reality due to altered innervatioii! 

 consequent upon tliat taint. 



The rupture of the tendon is due to a slow degenerative proi 

 cess, and not to a sudden snapping of its lib)es, as was formerly^ 

 taught. 



Now and then, however, sudden rupture of the tendon takes 

 jplace immediately after the operation; but^n's is rare in com-*' 

 parison with the degenerative process, w];ich,uot only involve? 

 the tendon, navicular bone and ligaments, latL-^U^tlie, surround- 

 ing structures of the foot and pastern. 



