Special Injmies of Bones, Joints and Muscles. 431 



When heat and tenderness have subsided the high-heeled 

 shoe may be dispensed with, the foot shod level and active 

 bhsters applied. The preparations of the iodides of mer- 

 cury are among the best. In old cases of extreme con- 

 traction the tendons can be cut across by a narrow- . 

 bladed knife with as little external wound as possible, 

 and the limb extended to its proper form and retained 

 there by sphnts and bandages until new fibrous tissue 

 fills up the interval between the divided ends. The oper- 

 ation is performed in" the middle of the shank below the 

 connection with the stay ligament and is very successful 

 in appropriate cases, restoring a helpless cripple to perfect 

 usefulness. For the minutiae of the operation the reader 

 is referred to our larger work. Calcified, knotted tendons 

 are utterly unsuited to it. 



SPKAEST OF THE SUSPENSOBY LIGAMENT. 



This structure lies between the shank-bone and the 

 back tendons and extends from the back of the lower part 

 of the knee to the little bones (sesamoids) which form the 

 pulley for the tendons behind the fetlock, with prolonga- 

 tions forward on the sides of the pastern to join the ex- 

 tensor tendon of the foot. The seat of sprain may be at 

 any part but is usually in the lower third of the shank, 

 where it divides into an inner and an outer branch. The 

 spraia may cause but the slightest perceptible swelling on 

 one of these branches or the ligament may be completely 

 torn across, the fetlock descending to the ground and the 

 toe turning up. Any injury to this ligament is likely to 

 cause more persistent lameness than a corresponding in- 

 jury to the back tendons, seeing it is a mechanical support 

 to the fetlock and is always on the strain when the animal 

 stands upon the limb. 



Symptoms. Persistent, often severe lameness, upright 

 pastern, stumbling gait or imdue lowering of the fetlock 

 when weight is thrown upon the limb. Then by bringing 

 the fingers and tliumb down the line of the cord felt im- 



