550 



DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



gree, and sometimes to a considerable 

 extent. It may be necessary here to 

 notice the arrangement of these two ten- 

 dons. The muscles (perfdrans and per- 

 foratus) arise from below the elbow-joint, 

 pass down through a the'ca at the back 

 of the knee ; below the knee they be- 

 come tendinous ; the first is one of great 

 strength, nearly round, and is inclosed in 

 the other, which forms what , is termed a 

 sheath fdr it ; half-way down the cannon, 

 the perforans is joined by a strong liga- 

 ment (the metacarpal) ; the two tendons 

 pass down together through a sheath 

 formed for them at the back of the fet- 

 lock ; the latter splits into two divisions, 

 having /the perforans passing between 

 them ; they are inserted one into each 

 side of the lower pastern bone (or corona), 

 the perforans, passing down, is inserted 

 into the sole of the coffin-bone, just in 

 front of^the navicular joint, over which 

 it passes. A good illustration of these 

 different parts : js given in Fig. 855. 



Fig. 856 will be found an especially 

 fine illustration of the perforans and 

 perforatus tendons above the fetlock, 

 an explanation of which is also 

 included. A point here is very 

 nicely explained by )fi/hite, who 

 says : — 



Between, these two tendons there are 

 in two parts thin vascular membranes 

 by which they are joined together; 

 these membranes appear to serve as 

 bridles, allowing the perforans tendon 

 to move a little way within the per- 

 foratus, and then preventing any fur-, 

 ther motion. The situation of those 

 membranes is about midway , in the 



Fig. 



855. — tendons and Ligaments of the 

 Fore Legs. 



A. flexor perforatus; B. flexor perforans; C. 

 metacarpal ligament; D. superior sesamoidal lig- 

 ament ; d. Bifurcation of the sesamoidal liga- 

 ment; y. Continuation forward of branch of the sesamoidal ligament; F. continuation of the 

 flexor perforans tendon, afterward inserted Into the lower side of the os pedis; E. extensor 

 tendon; M. great metacarpal, or cannon shank bone; B. splint bone. 



