Ch. LXXVIII. OfSplents and OJlets. 233 



CHAP. LXXVIII. 



Of Splents and OJlets J &c. 



A Spknt is a callous hard Subftance which adheres to the 

 "'^^ Infide of the Shank-bone ; when there is but one, it is 

 called a iingle Splent ; but when there is another oppolite to 

 it, on the Outlide of the Shank-bone, it is then called a 

 peg'd or pinn'd Splent. 



The Reafon of all fuch Excrefcences may The Matter and 

 be eafily enough apprehended by thofe who Formation of 

 will take the Pains to examine the Shank- ^pl^nts. 

 bone of any Horfe after the Flefli is fcraped off, where they 

 may obferve two Appendages growing to the Shank- bone, 

 which are to be met with in all Horfes that are young, tho' 

 the Seam by which thefe Bones are joined to the Shank, is, 

 in fome old Horfes, quite obliterate and worn out, except 

 in the Middle. Each of thefe Appendages refemble a Bod- 

 kin, being broad at Top, and narrow at Bottom, and are 

 joined to the Shank by Appofition, and faltened by a gum- 

 my Matter not unlike Glue. 



Now if a young Horfe be prefs'd with any extraordinary 

 Weight towards his Shoulders, before thofe Bones are firmly 

 cemented and put together, but efpecially when he goes 

 down Hill with a Burden or a heavy Man upon his Back, 

 it bears fo hard upon his Fore-legs, that it caules thefe bony 

 Appendages to give Way, and fuffera Diftortion ; and al- 

 tho' the Horfe does net always grow lame upon it imme- 

 diately, yet it brings a Redundancy of this glutinous Matter, 

 livhich ouzes from between the Bones on the Infide of the 

 Shank, where there is a little Hollownefs and Hardnefs un- 

 der the Perlrjleimx^ like the Gum which illues from a 

 wounded Tree, and is thus form'd into a Splent. But when 

 the Diftortion is violent, or if the Horfe be of a tender, de- 

 licate Make, the Afflux of Pvlatter will be the greater, fo that 

 it ouzes through the oppoiite Side alfo, and forms a pegg'd 

 or thorough Splent, which locks as if a Wedge was ftruck 

 quite thro' the Bone ; fomelimes a double Splent is form'd, 

 which is call'd by the Fretich a Fuzee ; and this happens 

 ■when there is a frefh Afflux of Matter upon a Splent that is 

 already begun, like the Lays upon an Ificle, by the running 

 down of frefh Water upon it. Th's laft Sort caufes a very 

 great Deformity, and is therefore eafily perceivable. 



Moft of thefe Swellings make their firft Appearance a 

 pretty Way below the Knee, v»'hcre the Cleft between the 



iionesi 



