SPRAINS OF TENDONS, LIGAMENTS AND MUSCLES. 289 



an attempt is to be made, we recommend in addition to the usual 

 surgical appliances the internal administration of Symphytum 0, 

 a dose night and morning, as there is no doubt that this remedy 

 aids the healthy union of fractured bones. In simple sprains, 

 however, it is better to apply tow, cotton, wool or lint all round 

 the fetlock joint, saturate the same with Arnica lotion and bind 

 it on firmly with a cotton or linen bandage, taking care to keep 

 the applications continuously moist with the lotion; a removal 

 once in twent)^-four hours would be essential; internal administra- 

 tion of Arnica 3X, a dose morning, noon and night, materially 

 assists the action of the local application. 



As we near the foot, the diseases of which will be dealt with at 

 the close of this article, we have one very troublesome condition, 

 which mostly affects the heavier class of horses, viz., ringbone; 

 this consists of a bony growth which develops upon the upper and 

 lower bones of the pastern, and as its name indicates forms a ring 

 around the bone; the long bone of the pastern, alread}' referred 

 to as the suffraginis is the seat of the higher ringbone, and when 

 very large it interferes with the free action of the ligaments which 

 are attached to this bone; this form, however, is not frequently a 

 source of trouble; the ringbone which gives the real trouble and 

 produces such obstinate lameness is that which forms round the 

 articulation of the suffraginis, or long bone of the pastern, and the 

 ■corona, or short bone of the same, and ma}' be felt as a prominent 

 bony deposit round the upper margin of the hoof; the cause of a 

 ringbone is attributed to strong inflammation arising in the can- 

 cellated structure of the ends of the before named bones; as the 

 result of the inflammation, Ij^mph is thrown out, which, in the 

 end, becomes organized and hard as bone; in a large number of 

 cases, among heavy cart horses, this deposition of bony material 

 goes on at the respective ends of these bones until an union is 

 •effected, and the joint becomes anchylosed or firmly joined 

 together, so that the articulation cannot act freely, a fact which 

 accounts for horses so affected going somewhat stiffly in their 

 gait; prior to this union being completed, and while the inflam- 

 mation is activel}^ proceeding, the horse experiences pain and 

 consequent lameness ensues; this is the period for treatment, the 

 object being to arrest the inflammation and the deposition of the 

 formed and bony material that goes to make up the ringbone; if 



19 



