340 DADD'S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SUTtGERY. 



sprains, brouglit about by overwork, extraordinary feats of strength. 

 in drawing heavy loads, etc. In short, either sprain, injury, blow, 

 or bruise may act as the pathological spark to bring about the 

 disease. 



Regarding the treatment of ring-bone, it would be interesting, 

 and perhaps amusing, to call attention to some of the heroic 

 methods of combating this malady ; but the animal has nerves of 

 sensibility, and is as keenly alive to pain as one of us ; therefore 

 it is not really pleasant to dwell on the atrocities which are net 

 unfrequently practiced on this noble animal. A very common 

 error exists in the minds, of some people that ring-bone is fed by 

 a bladder at the posterior part of the pastern, which has about as 

 much to do in the production of the disease as the author of this 

 work. This error would not amount to much, however, only it 

 has led to the infliction of a cruel operation, without the least 

 advantage ; namely, the cutting out of the bladder. Now, this so- 

 called bladder is, in reality, a bursal sac, the use of which is to 

 secrete synovia, to be used for the purpose of guarding against 

 friction ; therefore, the extraction of it must be disadvantageous to 

 the parts. 



It seems that ring-bone is not enough torment for the poor brute 

 to suffer, but he must, in addition, submit to a species of cruelty 

 unheard of in the annals of human medicine. Such treatment is 

 wrong, and every man who loves a horse should set his face against 

 it, aud use every effort for the purpose of putting a step to the 

 practice of all barbarity in the treatment of domestic animals. 



Treatment. — The question to decide, when we undertake to treat 

 a case of this character is, whether the disease is in the acute or 

 chronic stage. Experience teaches us that nearly all diseases may 

 be divided into two classes : First, the acute, or those which come 

 on suddenly, attended by pain and fever, or, rather, febrile symp- 

 toms ; for there are no primary fevers in the horse. Equine fevers 

 are always called into existence, or accompany a pathological con- 

 dition which frequently existed, and the fever is i 1 exact ratio to 

 the intensity of the disease. Cure the disease and the fever ceases. 

 Acute diseases also tend to termination within a short period of 

 t ; me, or else run into the chronic stage. Secondly, the chronio 

 fitage. Chronic diseases are those of slow progress, and exceed in 

 duration the ordinary existence of the acute class. They may 

 Arise in consequence of acute diwrrjers, or be developed originally 



