SINEWS. Ill 



produce not only lameness, but absolute help- 

 lessness ; yet fomentations, time, and bracing 

 applications, may effect a cure even without 

 firing. This difference of the cause of lameness 

 accounts for our often seeing horses with very 

 swollen legs going sound, and others, with but 

 little show of enlargement, being lame ; in one 

 case the tendon itself has not sustained much 

 injury, whereas in the other it has. Where we 

 see horses with swollen legs long after they have 

 become sound, the continuance of the enlaro-e- 

 ment is usually from the complaint having been 

 improperly treated ; very commonly from stimu- 

 lants, or, at least, bracing applications having 

 been used before inflammation had totally sub- 

 sided ; for though, in professional language, 

 " counter-irritation " is often very judicious and 

 efficacious, topical irritation is quite another 

 affair ; and in such cases, though it may be very 

 efficacious, and it most probably would be, it 

 would be so in the wrong way. 



It will thus be clear to the reader (supposing 

 my ideas to be correct) that we must not in all 

 cases be induced to purchase or reject a horse 

 solely from the look of his legs ; for, if we did, 

 w^e might reject a very serviceable animal, and 

 be induced to purchase one that would become 

 lame, or perhaps really break dowm on the first 

 call for exertion. A good, well braced-up fired 



