ARTHRITIS 'jj 



" Springing " of the shoulder is another term applied to this condition. 

 It may be caused by the animal sHpping or falling, by " balHng " the foot 

 with sand, by treading on a rolling stone, &c. When it occurs the 

 action of the joint is restricted, and pain is evinced on manipulating the 

 joint. In a few days a swelling makes its appearance at the point of the 

 shoulder, and if the injury is very severe the horse may carry the limb 

 when in the trot. Rest should be prescribed, and fomentations applied to 

 the parts. Astringent cooling lotions may frequently be utilised with 

 beneficial effect. 



ARTHRITIS 



Occasionally we have an arthritis of this joint in young animals during 

 the course of an attack of Navel 111. Such cases are, however, very rare, 

 since this joint is not one of those commonly affected in this disease. 



Traumatic arthritis is, likewise, not common. This is due to the fact 

 that the articulation itself is extremely well protected. In front we have 

 the anterior divisions of the internal and external tuberosities, and the 

 median ridge which divides up the bicipital groove, surmounting the 

 level of the articular surface by almost an inch even when the joint is 

 flexed. Additional protection in front is afforded by the powerful tendon 

 of the biceps which fills up the groove, and also by the tendon of the 

 coraco-humeralis. Moreover, there is a considerable amount of mus- 

 cular tissue, chiefly made up of the mastoido-humeralis, in front of the 

 joint. Although from its situation the shoulder would have been 

 particularly subject to inflammation as a result of punctured wounds at 

 the front of the joint, it is, from this natural protection which is afforded 

 the articulation, very immune in this respect. 



A similar protection is afforded the anterior half of the articulation on 

 its lateral aspects by the posterior divisions of the outer and inner tuber- 

 osities. This division of the outer tuberosity extends to a considerably 

 higher level than the articular head. 



