286 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 



elastic character and are frequently the seat of sprain among the 

 heavier class of horses that are called upon to move heavy loads; 

 the lack of elasticity gives the horse the power to move a heav}' 

 load, but when too much stress or force is laid upon the unyield- 

 ing structures they give way, and a rupture of the individual fibres 

 is the result; under such conditions nothing but long rest, in con- 

 junction with ordinary treatment, is of any avail; time must be 

 allowed for the fibres of the ligament to reunite and become firmly 

 welded together before the animal can go sound or be fit for work 

 of any sort. These remarks apply with equal force to the back 

 sinews or flexor tendons, though we are of opinion that there is 

 more elasticity in these than in the bulky ligaments just referred 

 to; and inasmuch as the locality of these flexor tendons allows for 

 more immediate application of lotions and liniments to them than 

 is possible with the suspensor}- ligaments, treatment is generally 

 more effective and satisfactory. The aforesaid suspensory liga- 

 ment, on reaching the fetlock joint at the back, divides into two 

 parts, is attached to two floating bones, called sesmoids, which 

 form part of the fetlock joint, and from thence the two divisions 

 of the ligament pass downwards and ultimately blend with and 

 become attached to the principal flexor tendon of the leg. We 

 have gone thus fully into a description of this ligament and its 

 attachments with a view to the production of a proper estimate of 

 the damage that a sprain of the deeper situated tissues may effect; 

 the examination of a weak or injured limb by amateur horsemen 

 is, as a rule, so superficial that it becomes necessary to particularly 

 point out one of the fi"equent seats of lameness affecting horses 

 that have to move heavy loads or those that have to make violent 

 efforts, as have steeplechasers and hunters in the act of jumping, 

 in the first instance all cases of injury affecting tendons and 

 ligaments should be treated with hot fomentations, by standing 

 the leg in a pail of hot water; occasionally adding a small quanity 

 of boiling water to keep a uniform temperature; thereafter hand 

 rubbing the affected part with Arnica lotion — i in 8 — and then 

 applying an Arnica lotion compress, which should be retained in 

 position, with some pressure for several hours; when the compress 

 is removed the legs should be firmly bandaged with a strong roll 

 of dry linen, which should be kept in position for two hours, and 

 the former process of fomentation, rubbing and compress re- 



