DISEASES AND INJURIES OF THE LEGS. 203 



be osseous, i. e., bony union may have taken place between the bones of 

 the joint. 



Inflammation in a joint, or even in the neighborhood of a joint, is 

 always a source of some danger. There is always some reason to fear 

 lest the deposit resulting from the inflammation should interfere with 

 the free motion of the part, even if it does not produce partial or com- 

 plete anchylosis. 



Treatment. — For bony anchylosis there is no remedy. The previ- 

 ous disease, whatever it may have been, has caused the mischief and an- 

 chylosis is the result. 



For mere stiffness (as distinguished from anchylosis) arising from re- 

 cent thickenings or deposits in or about the neighborhood of the joint, 

 the treatment consists in rest; and in the application, as soon as the active 

 inflammation has left the part, of absorbents, such as mercury, iodine, 

 or biniodide of mercury. Although we cannot be certain of a favorable 

 result, yet there is a reason to hope that by the use of such means so 

 much of the thickening or exostosis may be removed as will at least pre- 

 vent its interfering with the motion of the joint. With the removal of 

 such interference, the pain and irritation will cease. 



In human surgery, operations are sometimes undertaken for the re- 

 moval of such deposits; but in the horse they do not answer, because there 

 are no means of placing him in such position as will take the weight off 

 the limb for a suflQcient length of time after the operation. 



OPEN JOINT 



Definition. — Is an exposed condition of a joint, accompanied by a 

 discharge of synovial fluid and extensive inflammation. 



Etiology. — Some penetrating injury in the neighborhood of the 

 joint, or sloughing of injured parts so as to expose the bones of the joint. 



Symptoms. — An open joint, when occasioned by puncture or inci- 

 sion, is not at first (if unassociated with fracture) attended by severe 

 local or constitutional disturbance; but at the end of a period varying 

 from two to ten days pain comes on, and spreads over the joint, which 

 soon presents a considerable amount of swelling and tension. The swell- 

 ing is at first tense, but elastic; however, it soon becomes hard and un- 

 yielding, and accompanied by great constitutional disturbance, the pulse 



