324 



have been more severe, tbe blow heavier, the fall aggravated by occur- 

 riug npou an irregular surface, or sharp or rough object, with tearing 

 or cutting of the skin, and this laceration may remain. A more serious 

 case than the first is now brought to our notice. 



Another time, immediately following the accident, or possibly as a 

 sequel of the traumation, the tendinous sacs may be opened, with the 

 escape of the synovia; or worse, the tendons which pass in front of the 

 knee are torn, the inflammation has spread, the joint and leg are 

 swollen, the animal is becoming very lame; synovitis has set in. With 

 this the danger becomes verj^ great, for soon suppuration will be estab- 

 lished, the external coat of the articulation proper become ulcerated, if 

 it is not already in that state, and we find ourselves in the presence of 

 an openjointj with suppurative synovitis — that is, with the worst among 

 the conditions of diseased processes, because of the liability of the sup- 

 puration to become infiltrated into every part of the joint, macerating 

 the ligaments and irritating the cartilages, soon to be succeeded by their 

 ulceration, with the destruction of the aiticular surface, or the lesion 

 of ulcerative arthritis, one of the gravest among all the disorders known 

 to the animal economy. 



But ulcerative arthritis and suppurative synovitis may bo developed 

 in other connections tlian that with open joints ; the simplest and ap- 

 parently most harmless i)unctures may prove to be cause sufficient 

 For example, a horse may be kicked, perhaps, on the inside of the 

 hock; there is a mark and a few drops of blood to indicate the spot; 

 he is put to work, apparently free from pain or lameness, and per- 

 forms his task with his usual ease and facility. But on the following 

 morning the hock is found to be a little swollen and there is some stiff- 

 ness. A little later on he betrays a degree of uneasiness in the leg, and 

 shrinks from resting his weight upon it, moving it up and down for 

 relief The swelling has increased and is increasing, the pain is s-evere, 

 and, finally, there is an oozing at the spot where the kick impinged of 

 an oily liquid mixed with whitish drops of suppuration. The mischief 

 is done and a simple, harmless punctured wound has expanded into a 

 case of ulcerative arthritis and suppurative synovitis. 



From ever so brief and succinct description of this traumatism of the 

 articulations, the serious and important character of these lesions, irre- 

 spective of which particular joint is affected, will be readily understood. 

 Yet there will be modifications in the prognosis in different cases, in 

 accordance with the peculiarities of structure in the joint specially 

 involved, as for example, it is obvious that a better result may be ex- 

 pected from treatment when but a single joint, with only its plain artic- 

 ular surfaces is the place of injury, than in one which is composed of 

 several b(mes, united in a com[)lex formation, as in the knee or hock. 

 As severe a lesion as suppurative synovitis always is, and as frequently 

 fatal as it proves to be, still cases arise in which the inflammation, as- 

 suming a moditled character and at length subsidimg; the lesion termi- 



