354 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
time will turn up, yet still the lesion in one will be followed by its 
occurrence in another. Commonly two feet, either the anterior or 
posterior, are affected, and we recall one case in which the two fore 
and one of the hind legs were included at the same time. The acci- 
dent, however, is quite as liable to happen while the horse is at rest 
in his stall, and he may be found in the morning standing on his 
fetlocks. One of the earliest of the cases occurring in my own expe- 
rience had been under care for several weeks for suspected disease 
of the fetlocks, the nature of which had not been made out, when, 
apparently improved by the treatment which he had undergone, the 
patient was taken out of the stable to be walked a short distance into 
the country, but had little more than started when he was called to 
a halt by the fracture of the sesamoids of both fore legs. 
While there are no positive premonitory symptoms of these frac- 
tures known, we believe that there are signs and symptoms which 
come but little short of being so, and the appearance of which will 
always justify a strong suspicion of the truth of the case. These 
have been indicated when referring to the soreness in standing, the 
short, mincing gait, and the tenderness betrayed when pressure is 
made over the sesamoids on the sides of the fetlock, with others less 
tangible and definable. 
Prognosis.—These injuries can never be accounted less than seri- 
ous, and in our judgment will never be other than fatal. If our 
theory of their pathology is the correct one, and the cause of the 
lesions is truly the softening of the sesamoidal bony structure and 
independent of any changes in the ligamentous fibers, the possibility 
of a solid osseous union can hardly be considered admissible. 
Treatment.—In respect to the treatment to be recommended and 
instituted it can be employed only with any rational hope of benefit 
during the incubation, and with the anticipatory purpose of preven- 
tion. It must be suggested by a suspicion of the verities of the case, 
and applied before any rupture has taken place. To prevent this 
and to antagonize the causes which might precipitate the final catas- 
trophe—the elevation of the toes—resort must be had to the slings 
and to the application of firm bandages or splints, perhaps of plaster 
of Paris, with a high shoe, as about the only indications which 
science and nature are able to offer. When the fracture is an 
occurred event, and the toes, one or more, are turned up, any further 
resort to treatment will be futile. 
DISEASES OF JOINTS. 
Three classes of injury will be considered under this head. These 
are, affections of the synovial sacs, those of the joint structures, or of 
the bones and their articular surfaces, and those forms of solution of 
continuity known as dislocations or luxations. 
