330 DADDS VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



tions of the body. Therefore I consider it injudicious to lay open 

 a synovial capsule in any part of the body. 



Treatment. — The safest method of treatment is to puncture the 

 sac, by means of small needles. After having evacuated the fluid 

 through the sieve-like needle-holes, the part is to be smeared with 

 ointment of iodine — one drachm of iodine to seven drachms of 

 simple ointment. Then apply a spring truss, so constructed as to 

 press on both sides of the hock. By this means the internal parts 

 of" the sac are kept in contact, and they finally unite. Thus the 

 enlargement is obliterated. If, at any time during the treatment, 

 the parts become hot or tender, discontinue the ointment, and sub- 

 stitute a pad on each extremity of the truss, which are to be kept 

 constantly wet with cold water until the inflammatory action dis- 

 appears. 



Navicular Lameness 



Navicular lameness is of very frequent occurrence among horses. 

 It usually depends upon strain or injury of the tendon, known as 

 perforans, just where it passes over the navicular bone. Some- 

 times the navicular bone becomes diseased, ulcerates, and finally 

 becomes fractured ; at other times the bone becomes the seat of 

 incrustations, or roughing, and thus irritates the flexor tendon. 

 Such affections always cause pain and lameness. Horses with nar- 

 row heels, or those laboring- under contraction at the quarters and 

 heels, suffer much pain in the posterior or navicular region, in con- 

 sequence of hoof pressure on the sensitive parts of the foot. 



A disease known as navicular thritis (inflammation of the parts 

 in the navicular region) often prevails. This is an inflammatory 

 affection, very painful, and much resembles laminitis) fever in the 

 foot). 



Symptoms. — Pointing of the affected foot; the animal, while 

 standing, throws the affected foot forward, by which means the 

 weight of the forepart of the body is transferred to the other limb ; 

 the animal has a short, tripping gait, and steps cautiously; the 

 muscles of the shoulder waste; the spine of the shoulder-blade be- 

 comes quite prominent ; and this condition of the muscles is often 

 called sweeny. We usually find, also, that the heels are pinched 

 :n, and the walls are thin and weak. The liability to navicular 

 lameness is very great in horses with narrow chests, upright pas- 

 terns, and outturned toes. Other defects in the loins exist. Henoe 



