338 BROKEN KNEES. 



or the depth to which the probe enters the wound, will too plainly indicate that 

 the joint has been opened. Should any doubt exist, a linseed-meal poultice 

 must be applied. This will at least act as a fomentation to the wound, and 

 will prevent or abate inflammation : and when, twelve hours afterwards, it is 

 taken off, the synovia, or joint-oil, in the form of a glairy, yellowish, trans- 

 parent fluid, will be seen, if the capsular ligament has been penetrated. Should 

 doubt remain after the first poultice, a second ought to be applied. 



It having been ascertained that the interior of the joint is not injured, atten- 

 tion must be paid to the wound that is actually made. The horse should wear 

 a cradle to prevent his getting at the wound. A stimulating application — the 

 common black- oil of the farrier is as good as any— should be lightly applied 

 every day until healthy pus is produced on the wound, and then a little friar's 

 balsam will probably effect a cure. 



The opening of the joint, however, being ascertained, the first and immediate 

 care is to close the orifice ;' for the fluid which separated and lubricated the 

 bones of the knee being suffered to escape, they will be brought into contact 

 with and will rub upon each other ; the delicate membrane with which they 

 are covered will be highly inflamed : the constitution will be speedily affected, 

 and a degree of fever will ensue that will destroy the horse : while, in the mean 

 time, of all the tortures that can be inflicted on the poor animal, none 

 can equal that which accompanies inflammation of the membranes lining the 

 joints. 



The manner of closing the orifice must be left to the judgment of the veteri- 

 nary surgeon, who alone is capable of properly treating such acase. It may 

 be effected by a compress enclosing the whole of the wound, and not to be 

 removed for many days ; or it may be attempted by the old and generally suc- 

 cessful method of applying the hot iron over the wound, and particularly over 

 the spot where the ligament appears to be lacerated. A poultice may then be 

 placed on the part, and the case treated as a common wound. The surgeon will 

 find no difficulty in determining whether the sharp edge of the common firing-iron 

 should be used — as would be the case if the laceration is considerable, or whe- 

 ther the budding-iron should be resorted to. After the use of the cautery, the 

 application of a blister may, in some cases, be serviceable. Should the joint- 

 oil continue to flow, the iron may be applied a second, or even a third time. By 

 its application, so much swelling is produced on the immediate puncture, and 

 in the neighbouring parts, as mechanically to close and plug up the orifice. 



If, however, the opening into the joint is extensive, and the joint-oil conti- 

 nues to flow, and the horse is evidently suffering much pain, humanity will 

 dictate that he should be destroyed. The case is hopeless. A high degree of 

 fever will ere long carry him off, or the inflammation will cause a deposit of 

 matter in the cavity of the joint that will produce incurable lameness. 



The pain caused by the iron is doubtless great; it is, however, necessary: 

 but let no reader of " The Horse" permit the torturing experiments of the 

 farrier to be tried, who will frequently inject stimulating fluids, and even oil of 

 vitriol, into one of the most sensible and irritable cavities in the whole frame. 



A person well acquainted with the anatomy of the part will judge of the 

 probability of a favourable result, not merely by the extent, hut by the situation 

 of the wound. If it is low down, and opposite to the bottom row of the bones 

 of the knee, a small opening into the joint will be easily closed. A larger one 

 needs not to cause despair, because there is little motion between the lower row 

 and the bones of the leg. If it is high up, there is more danger, because there is 

 more motion. If it is situated opposite to the union of the two rows, the result 

 is most to be dreaded, because between these is the principal motion of the joint, 

 and that motion will not only disunite and irritate the external wound, but 



