CHAP. II.] SPAVIN, ITS VARIETIES. 



consists of a soft flexible swelling on the inside of 

 the hock-joint, as well as the outside, immediately 

 opposite each other ; whence it obtains the name of 

 thorough-pin, being supposed to go through the 

 joint. When one of those tumours is pressed it 

 yields, and the fluid it contains is thereby forced 

 into that on the other side ; when the pressure is 

 removed it immediately returns to the same state as 



before. 



This disorder has no other effect upon the ani- 

 mal's going, or value, than its appearance amounts 

 to, as it conveys the information of its having been 

 worked too hard, and too early in life, as do all 

 these minor evils we are now considering. How 

 this is effected we have shown in the fifteenth and 

 sixteenth sections of Book I. Like unto the other 

 disorders of this class, blisters and rest are the only 

 remedies : apply the blistering liniment composed of 

 cantharides and spirits of wine : See page 469. 



5. Spavin. 



Bog spavin is the more common, blood spavin 

 but rare. Both varieties, as well as bone spavin, 

 owe their origin to hard work in early life, in the 

 same manner as just adduced in cases of windgall, 

 and thoroughpin. Bog spavin is caused by the 

 joint oil of the hough issuing into the membrane 

 that surrounds it, and there stagnating under the 

 vein, causes this to swell. The old remedy of 

 taking up the vein by ligature should be abandoned 

 as a long and tedious mode of cure : the circulation 



x 4 



