BROKEN KNEEb. 253 



over the spot where the lig£iment 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 de- 

 termining whether the sharp edge of the common firing-iron 

 should be used — as would be the case if the laceration is con 

 siderable, or whether 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 imme- 

 diate puncture, and in the neighboring parts, as mechanically to 

 close up and plug the orifice. 



If, however, the opening into the joint is extensive, and the 

 joint-oil continues to flow, and the horse is evidently suffering 

 much pain, humanity will dictate that he should be destroyed. 

 The case i^ hopeless. A high degree of fever will ere long carry 

 him ofl', or the inflammation vidll cause a deposit of matter in 

 the cavity of the joint that will produce incurable lameness.* 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — The knee is subject to a, variety of injuries from 

 falls. Sometimes, though the wound is large and apparently formidable, it 

 is yet but an ordinary wound, and will heal readily with common treat- 

 ment. At other times, partly from the width and extent of the wound, and 

 partly from the restlessness of the animal, a wide and deep fissure takes 

 place, which opens every time the horse bends his knee, and the sides of 

 the chap growing at the same time, the wound becomes deeper and wider, 

 and is extremely difficult to heal The best mode of treatment is to cut 

 away the sides and edges of the fisssure to its full depth, thereby convert 

 ing it into one simple wound, which may be healed with little difficulty. 

 When the joint is opened the treatment must be conducted on very differ- 

 ent principles from that of an ordinary wound ; whereas, in the latter case, 

 fomentations and poultices are very proper, in order to cleanse the wound, 

 and to keep down inflammation. When the joint is opened, these measures 

 are to be avoided, as they increase irritation, by keeping open the joint, and 

 encouraging the flow of synovia (joint-oil), and the entrance of the air. 



In a case of open joint, our principal endeavor must be to dose the joint 

 with all possible despatch ; but even with judicious treatment our chances 

 of success will materially depend on one or two circumstances, viz., the size 

 of the wound, the cavity opened, and the fact as to whether inflammation is 

 already set up in the joint or not If the latter be the case, our chances 

 of success are very slight, for the joint will, in all probability, become an- 

 diylosed or stiff. We may in great measure ascertain the existence of 

 inflammation by the animal placing the limb in a bent position, and keep- 

 ing it in motion by pawing from uneasiness. There are various methods 

 of closing an open joint. A simple, and often a very efiective one, is by 

 means of a solution of bichloride of mercury in a solution of spirita 

 of wine, and applied to the wound several times a day by means of a fea- 

 ther, till the synovia ceases to flow. Another is the application of the 

 hot iron. The object in both these modes is to coagulate the synovia, so 

 aa to form a temporary plug to the joint, till nature has time to close it 

 more permanently. If either of these methods are adopted, it will not do 

 to apply a poultice after^'ards, a.<) stated in the text, as this would wash 



