210 THE ANATOMY AND DISEASES OF THE NECK. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE ANATOMY AND DISEASES OF THE NECK AND 

 NEIGHBOURING PARTS. 



The neck of the horse, and of every animal belonging to the class mammalia, 

 except one species, is composed of seven bones called vertebra, moveable or 

 turning upon each other (see cut, p. 108). They are connected together by 

 strong ligaments, and form so many distinct joints, in order to give sufficiently 

 extensive motion to this important part of the body. The bone nearest to the 

 skull is called the atlas (see cut, p. 108, and g, p. 112), because, in the human 

 being, it supports the head. In the horse the head is suspended from it. It is a 

 mere ring-shaped bone, with broad projections sideways ; but without the sharp 

 and irregular processes which are found on all the others. The pack-wax, or 

 ligament, by which the head is principally supported (J, p. 112), and which is 

 strongly connected with all the other bones, passes over this without touching 

 it, by which means the head is much more easily and extensively moved. The 

 junction of the atlas with the head is the seat of a very serious and trouble- 

 some ulcer, termed 



POLL-EVIL. 

 From the horse rubbing and sometimes striking his poll against the lower 

 edge of the manger, or hanging back in the stall and bruising the part with the 

 halter— or from the frequent and painful stretching of the ligaments and mus- 

 cles by unnecessary tight reining, and, occasionally, from a violent blow on the 

 poll, carelessly or wantonly inflicted, inflammation ensues, and a swelling appears, 

 not, tender, and painful. It used to be a disease of frequent occurrence, but 

 it is now, from better treatment of the animal, of comparatively rare ccurrence. 

 It has just been stated, that the ligament of the neck passes over the atlas, or 

 first bone, without being attached to it, and the seat of inflammation is between 

 the ligament and the bone beneath ; and being thus deeply situated, it is serious 

 in its nature and difficult of treatment. 



The first thing to be attempted is to abate the inflammation by bleeding, 

 physic, and the application of cold lotions to the part. In a very early period 

 of the case a blister might have considerable effect. Strong purgatives should 

 also be employed. By these means the tumour will sometimes be dispersed. 

 This system, however, must not be pursued too far. If the swelling increases, 

 and the heat and tenderness likewise increase, matter will form in the tumour ; 

 and then our object should be to hasten its formation by warm fomentations, 

 poultices, or stimulating embrocations. As soon as the matter is formed, which 

 may be known by the softness of the tumour, and before it has time to spread 

 around and eat into the neighbouring parts, it should be evacuated. Now comes 

 the whole art of treating poll-evil ; the opening into the tumour mtist be so con- 

 trived that all the matter shall run out, and continue afterwards to run out as 

 quickly as it is formed, and not collect at the bottom of the ulcer, irritating 

 and coiToding it. This can be effected by a seton alone. The needle should 

 enter at the top of the tumour, penetrate through its bottom, and be brought 

 cut at the side of the neck, a little below the abscess. Without anything more 

 than this, except frequent fomentation with warm water, in order to keep the 

 part clean, and to obviate inflammation, poll-evil in its early stage will fre- 

 quently be cured. 



