BKOKEN KNEES. V7 



sjpplied from the synovial bursse which are in front of the knee 

 and not connected with the joint. ' 



It sometimes liappens that in a case of broken knees, the skin of 

 the lower edge of the wound has been rumpled back at the time of 

 the accident by the horse sliding forward on his knees, when on 

 the ground, and a sac has been thus formed into which dirt hq.s 

 entered. In this case, the sac should be probed, and, at its lowest 

 point, a horizontal orifice — so that the subsequent scar may be 

 concealed by the hair- — should be made by the knife, and a piece 

 of narrow tape or a string of horse hairs (p. 76) passed through it, 

 as a seton, to allow of dirt, etc., working out. Occasionally, this 

 sac is not apparent for some days. It will then be found soft to 

 the touch, and full of pus when it is opened- — as it should be — at 

 its lowest point. In such oases, the little finger may generally, 

 with advantage, b© substituted for the probe. This instrument 

 should be used with great caution about the knee, for both the 

 tendons and joints of that part lie very close to the surface. 



If the wound continues in a sluggish condition with but little 

 discharge, cover it with antiseptic cotton-wool, after dusting it 

 over freely with tannoform, and then, with judiciously regulated 

 pressure, apply over it a cotton wadding bandage in the manner 

 described for sprains (p. 44), with the object of quickening the 

 circulation of blood in the part. As a rule, the application of 

 evenly distributed pressure will act far better in stimulatir.g the 

 part to healthy action, than the use of caustics. 



Mr. Harold Leeney states, with reference to broken knees, that 

 " A large experience of these cases leads me to think that the least 

 blemish is obtained by picking off the scab every two or three days. 

 I find that the divided edges are brought closer together, each time 

 this is done. I have had a smaller blemish with old cab-horses, 

 than was left on any of the preceding occasions they had been 

 down." 



If the injiu-y be severe, a moderate dose of aloes may be given 

 with advantage. In all cases, the food should at first be of a 

 laxative nature. After the high bodily temperature caused by 

 the injury has passed off, the animal's strength should be kept up 

 by fairly liberal feeding. 



Kerosene (paraffin) oil (p. 68), or a mild blister, may be subse- 

 quently used to stimulate the growth of hair. 



LEGAL ASPECT OF BROKEN KNEES.— This. accident, after 

 the woun~d has healed, is, or is not, an unsoundness according to 

 the degree of injury inflicted. Although the slightest mark on the 

 knee, as a rule, seriously detracts from the market value of a horse, 

 the accident may not in any way injuriously affect his usefulness. 



7 



