188 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



called tracheotomy — an opening into the windpipe, and 

 keeping a silver tube inserted in it — is sometimes resorted 

 to. By this means, a draught horse can be kept at work 

 for many years. 



Bound Bone. — (See Hip-joint.) 



Bowels. — An old-fashioned operation, consisting in an 

 opening made through the skin for a few inches in length, 

 the skin being raised from its attachments, and a piece of 

 leather fitting the cavity placed into it, so that a discharge 

 is set up in a day or two. Times were when this unneces- 

 sary cruelty was frequently inflicted upon the poor un- 

 offending horse, but in this humane and progressive age, 

 we only occasionally meet with the barbarity. Rowels are 

 an abomination, and inflict a scar or blemish, which never 

 leaves the part. The stupidity and ignorance of horse 

 doctors generally, do not allow them to see that the powers 

 of nature are more potent for good in curing the affection 

 than a rowel — to which is attributed a power or virtue it 

 never possesses. If I should put in a rowel, it would not 

 be with the view of curing disease or sprain, but simply to 

 secure the horse plenty of time in the stable, so that nature 

 could cure the disease herself. 



Buptures. — The protrusion of some portion of the 

 bowels or intestines out of their proper place. The groin, 

 the navel, sides of the belly, and scrotum, or testicle bag, 

 are the places where ruptures usually show themselves, and 

 it is the variety of situation that gives rise to the many 

 species of rupture or hernia. 



(1.) Inguinal Ruptuke. — In the United States, the 

 horses are mostly all castrated, which fact accounts for the 

 rare occurrence of this variety of rupture. The operation 

 of castration completely closes the inguinal ring or opening 



