THE SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT— DESMOTOMY 135 



these cases the swelHngs are of great size, and their interference with the 

 action of the joint is mechanical. 



Chronic swellings, particularly when ossified, are not likely to yield 

 to treatment. In recent cases complete rest should be procured, and 

 pressure bandages of linen wrung out of cold water applied. This 

 should be continued until the skin covering the gall is quite cool, a 

 condition which v,^ill be brought about in from seven to fourteen days, 

 when the swelling may be line-fired and blistered. 



Some operators evacuate the contents of the sheath, and inject a weak 

 solution of iodine. For this purpose Dean's aspirator is the best 

 instrument. Although not a method to be recommended, there is 

 much less risk attached to adopting this method in treating the cases 

 under consideration than in treating distensions of the synovial mem- 

 brane of the joint, i.e., articular windgalls. 



THE SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT— DESMOTOMY 



This great ligament is almost equal in thickness to the perforans 

 tendon. By its attachments to the sesamoid bones it helps to support 

 the great weight which is thrown upon the fetlock. Just as the 

 posterior surface of the perforans tendon is intimately connected with 

 the anterior surface of the tendon of the perforatus by connective tissue, 

 so is its anterior surface connected with the back of the suspensory 

 ligament in the lower two-thirds of the cannon region. In the upper 

 third the check ligament is interposed between the suspensory ligament 

 and the tendon. 



It frequently happens that, in cases of severe sprain of the perforans 

 tendon followed by fibrous thickening, the suspensory ligament is in- 

 volved, and the ultimate result is that we get contraction or shortening 

 of both. An abnormally short suspensory ligament may also in rare 

 cases be due to congenital malformation. But where either case prevails 



