428 The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser. 



alike. In old horses it is not unfrequent to find the small 

 bone united to the large along two-thirds of its length. If 

 situated high up and close to the knee, it is more likely to 

 cause continued lameness than if lower down. Again if 

 an animal has several splints and other diseases of bone 

 he is highly objectionable, as being predisposed to bone 

 disease. 



Symptoms. Beside the feeling of the splints on hand- 

 ling, as above mentioned, these symptoms may be seen. 

 The patient may walk sound, or even trot so, on soft 

 ground, but is exceedingly lame when trotted on a hard 

 surface, and this lameness increases with exercise. The 

 extreme drooping of the head is characteristic. Even 

 before the formation of the splint tenderness may be 

 shown on pressure, and some little heat recognized. In 

 some cases considerable soft swelling may be felt in the 

 early stages. In acute cases, threatening abscess, the 

 lameness is extreme. 



Treatment. In the early stages, rest, purge, and apply 

 cooling lotions. "When heat and tenderness subside, blis- 

 ter. Some cases will recover promptly, others require 

 repeated bUstering and a long period of rest. If heat and 

 great tenderness return, resort again to soothing measures. 

 In extreme tenderness, threatening the formation of mat- 

 ter, the periosteum should be divided with a very narrow- 

 bladed knife which is passed through the skin half an inch 

 )/elow the swelling and carried up over it. The part must 

 then be covered by a wet bandage. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE MEMBEANK COVEBING TEE SHANK-BONE. 

 SOKE SHINS. 



This occurs especially in over-worked young horses. 

 Eacers are very liable, but cart-horses are not exempt 

 There is general tumefaction of the shank-bone or of some 

 part of it, usually the lower, with a lameness greatly re- 

 sembling that of splints. If slight and circumscribed, the 

 exT44atipn th^-t takes place between the membrane ami 



