476 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
the beginning, blisters, bichromate of potass ointment, ordinarily removes 
the lameness; sometimes the tumor is resorbed. If these means fail and 
lameness persists, deep points firing is indicated. 
When, by exception, curb extends down the hock, it may give rise to 
incurable lameness. 
V.—Splints. 
They are observed generally on the front legs, sometimes on the ‘hind 
legs. Their frequency in horses recently put to work was well known to. 
old hippiatres. Among young horses, which work on pavement, at fast. 
gait, many become lame after a few months. Examination of the foot 
and of the leg often reveals no lesions; the shoulder is suspected; but 
this lameness, in horses recently working, has ordinarily for cause a super- 
ficial inflammation of the metacarpalbones. Indeed, there soon appears. 
upon the region, along the rudimentary bones, a slight swelling, first. 
puffy, which soon becomes well defined ; it is a periostitis of the cannon. 
In many of these lame individuals, for the first few weeks, it is very diffi- 
cult to detect even by repeated examination the location of the pain. 
(Abadie). Percussion with the plessimeter is not as good to make it out 
as hand examination. The history of the case is important; ordinarily it 
is that of a horse put to work for a few months which has exhibited 
some temporary lameness. If the foot is not the seat of some mor- 
bid sensibility ; if the coronet, the tendons and the fetlock are clean; and. - 
if, on the other hand, the region of the small metacarpals is infiltrated or 
painful, spZn¢s are developing. 
When this growth is complete, and the bony inflammation has passed, 
the splint does not produce lameness, except in cases where, placed. 
behind the principal metacarpal, it presses against the suspensory liga- 
ments and interferes with the play of tendons or the action of joints. 
*¢ Splint does not produce lameness, but when it attacks the styloid bones. 
or becomes so large that it presses against the tendons lodged between. 
those bones,” it does (Lafosse). ‘The callus running upward behind 
the knee lames the horse” (Solleysel). 
Against growing splints, several authors recommend cold baths, pressure, 
frictions of camphorated alcohol, embrocations of populeum, emollient 
poultices, repeated mercurial frictions. ‘These means are little used, but. 
the application on both faces of the metacarpus of a mercurial blister 
or of biodide of mercury ointment is preferable. The alcoholic solu- 
tion of sublimate, the ointment of bichromate of potash (Peuch, Lamour-. 
oux), may also be used. There are cases where the bony inflammation 
disappears rapidly and where no exostosis is formed; after a few weeks, 
the horse returns to work. In others the sensibility remains acute or 
