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Treatment. — Whilst heat and tenderness continue, the 

 parts must be kept constantly wetted with cold water. Satu- 

 rate a piece of spongiopiline with cold water; secure it on 

 the limb with a light bandage, and squeeze out and freshly 

 wet it every hour ; or, if practicable, let the horse stand for 

 an hour several times a day up to the knees in a pool or 

 stream of water. Allow perfect rest for ten days or a fort- 

 night. When by such means the heat and tenderness are 

 removed, apply a cantharidine blister, some of tlie ointment 

 of the biniodide of mercury, or the hot iron. Such remedies 

 condense and harden the bony deposit, but do not, as is 

 generally thought, remove it. Perfect union shortly takes 

 place between the large and small splint bones, the swelling 

 becomes solid, the lameness disappears, and the splint, al- 

 though still remaining, and strictly speaking constituting un- 

 soundness, occasions in well formed limbs no inconvenience. 



RINGBONES 



Consist in a circle of bony matter laid down round the 

 coronet — a natural effort to strengthen the parts, and enable 

 them better to withstand too early work, or too great con- 

 cussion. They are most common in the fore limbs of draught 

 horses, with short upright pasterns and small feet, or in the 

 hind limbs of lighter-bred horses. Although they do not 

 invariably cause lameness, they indicate disease, are, more- 

 over, apt to extend, and therefore constitute unsoundness. 



THOROUGHPIN OF THE KNEE 



Consists in an enlargement of the synovial cavity, through 

 which the flexor tendons pass towards their lower insertions. 

 It is most obvious on the inside of the limb, immediately 

 above and behind the joint, but can be readily pressed out- 

 wards. It results from strain of a small ligament which 

 attaches the tendon to the arm-bone, and when it first occurs 

 causes swelling and lameness. The treatment consists in 

 rest and fomentations, followed by blisters when the heat 

 and tenderness are removed. 



