294 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 



the superabundance of fluid and thus effect a cure; some practi- 

 tioners recommend the puncture of the sweUing with an instru- 

 ment to which a syphon is attached, thus enabhng the fluid to be 

 drawn off; but, inasmuch as it speedily reforms again and the 

 sweUing is again as large as before, this does not commend itself 

 to us as a satisfactory procedure; it is a surgical operation to be 

 sure, and with some that fact goes a long way and is preferred to 

 any less ostentatious methods, even though it does not effect a 

 cure; we, however, prefer the more tedious process herein recom- 

 mended, as it goes to the root of the master and gets rid of the 

 cause which produces the diseased condition. 



Capped Hock as it generally arises, consists of the formation of 

 a serous abscess between the tendon that passes over the point of 

 the hock and the skin; a rarer form of capped hock is that which 

 appears as a swelling on either side the point of the hock that is 

 due to an inflammatory condition of the sheath of the tendon that 

 passes down in that position; in consequence of this inflammation 

 there is superfluous amount of synovia formed which fills the 

 bursa to overflowing; the same preparation and treatment gener- 

 ally as that prescribed for curb will effect a cure; the ordinary 

 allopathic treatment is to reduce the inflammation and then fire, 

 putting on the while a high heeled shoe ; even in our homoeopathic 

 practice this latter precaution is worthy of adoption as it throws 

 the leg into a position that gives rest and ease to the parts, and 

 in this way assists the treatment advocated. 



All parts below the hock as far as the foot are liable to similar 

 injuries, so far as tendons, ligaments and bones are affected, as 

 those described in connection with the fore, limbs and the treat- 

 ment is the same. 



We now pass on to the consideration of some of* the chief 

 points affecting the foot; we have no hesitation in affirming that 

 by far the larger number of diseases to which the foot is prone are 

 either due to or materially influenced by the barbarous practice of 

 shoeing; we have satisfied ourselves by experiment and experience 

 that for no class of horse is it necessary to put on a shoe of any 

 sort whatever, provided the foot has never been manipulated by 

 the shoeing smith, nor had a drawing knife used upon it; an intact 

 foot is capable of bearing any wear whether on macadamized 

 roads or paved streets that a horse can under fair and ordinary 



