402 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



1. Fractures of the Os Corona. 



Fractures of the os coronae result from such causes as we 

 have just enumerated, and are nearly always seen in con- 

 junction with fractured os suffraginis. When this latter 

 bone is also fractured diagnosis is comparatively easy, a 

 certain amount of crepitus, even when the suffraginis is 

 only split, being obtainable. When the os coronse alone is 

 fractured then diagnosis is extremely difficult, the small- 

 ness of the bone and the comparative rigidity of the parts 

 rendering manipulation almost useless, and effectually 

 preventing the obtaining of crepitus. It is, in fact, only 

 when the bone is broken into many pieces that crepitus 

 may be detected, and even then it is slight. 



Reported Cases. — 1. ' The subject was a four-year old 

 hunter. While at exercise in the morning of August 10 he 

 bolted, got rid of his rider, and ran about in a mad fashion, 

 came into contact with a wheelbarrow in a narrow passage, 

 and finally came into violent contact with a wall, which had 

 the effect of throwing him down. The rider stated that the 

 animal suddenly put down his head and managed to get off 

 the bridle ; he then bolted, and the only chance for the rider 

 was to throw himself off. 



' On examination I found the horse unable to place any 

 weight on the off fore-leg, the pastern was swollen and 

 painful, the hollow of the heel was also swollen, and there 

 was marked constitutional disturbance. 



' After a short time he would place the heel on the 

 ground and elevate the toe to a slight degree. On manipu- 

 lating the pastern slight crepitation could be discovered, 

 and there was abnormal mobility in the corono-pedal arti- 

 culation. On the near fore-leg there were extensive 

 wounds in the region of the knee, and great laceration of 

 the tissues. The animal was destroyed. 



' On examining the leg I found the subcutaneous tissues 

 infiltrated from below the knee to the foot, large masses of 

 gelatinous blood-stained material being present along the 

 flexor tendons and in the hollow of the heel. The inferior 



