972 DISEASES AND THEIE TREATMENT. 



Causes. The causes of open joint are almost invariably ex- 

 ternal injury in the knee from falling. The horse stumbles; 

 falls upon his knees ; and should the ground happen to be 

 gravelly, hard, or stony, the knees are liable to be lacerated, or cut 

 through. 



In other joints the injury is usually caused by -being inciden- 

 tally stabbed or cut. 



Symptoms. In giving an opinion in these cases, we must 

 bear in mind that the joint is not always open, although we have 

 a discharge of synovia from the wound; we may have it from the 

 theca or sheath of some tendon, and it requires close examination 

 in some cases to say which it comes from. What we imply by 

 the term open joint, is where the skin, ligaments, tendons, etc., 

 have been cut through, and the articulation laid open. 



In the first place, the animal is very lame. On examining 

 the wound with the probe or finger, it is found to penetrate the 

 joint; we have a clear, oily fluid, which is very smooth and 

 slippery to the touch. The discharge may be very trifling, still it 

 is not the less dangerous. In most cases we have symptomatic 

 fever, which often runs so high as to cut the animal off. It is 

 recognized by the quick pulse, hot mouth, irregular heat of the 

 surface, costive bowels, and the excruciating pain the animal 

 evinces. 



Treatment. This is the most important part of the subject. 

 In the first place, the animal must be removed to a comfortable 

 stall or loose-box with a high roof, and well ventilated; he must 

 at once be placed in slings, which should be gradually tightened 

 until his toes barely touch the ground. 



The wound must be washed out with tepid water, all gravel 

 or dirt removed, and the real extent of the injury ascertained. 

 The limb must then be placed in splints, well padded, and held to- 

 gether by leather straps. A very convenient plan for the knee is 

 to take three slips of wood, about three inches wide, and half an 

 inch thick, reaching from the elbow to the foot, with the edges 

 beveled and well padded, and nailed together with three straps, 

 which buckle in front. This, placed one at each side, and one 

 behind, prevents flexion or extension of the joint entirely, and 

 leaves it open to be dressed at pleasure, without undoing the 

 splints. A large poultice of linseed or oatmeal should be applied 



