236 DISEASES OF BONE. 



cause of the frequent and often inveterate lameness which accom- 

 panies this condition. Actual dissections on the dead animal con- 

 vince me that such a bony communication between the two splints 

 seldom exists, and that the interference with the suspensory liga/- 

 ment and consequent lameness are due to the encroachment — ^from 

 one or both sides — of the bony deposit, on the canal occupied by 

 the suspensory ligament. This lateral encroachment is shown in 

 Fig. 82, which also exhibits a bony deposit at the back of the 

 upper part of the cannon bone, apparently due to sprain of the 

 suspensory ligament, which has a portion of its upper attachment 

 on that spot. 



3rd. The splint close to the knee (Fig. 77). 



ith. Two splints, one above the other, and on the same side of 

 the leg. This classification is not general enough ; for the bony 

 growth may involve the entire splint bone ; not only uniting it for 

 all its length to the cannon bone, but also increasing its entire 

 thickness as in Figs. 79 and 82. 



5th. A bony deposit involving the cannon and splint bones with 

 those of the knee, with which they articulate. This bony union 

 usually occurs between the head of the internal splint bone and 

 the lower surface of the small bone (the trapezoid) of the knee, 

 vvitli which it forms a joint. 



These divisions refer particularly to splints on the fore legs : a 

 limitation which will be remedied further on by some remarks 

 about splints on the hind legs. 



I suggest the following classification of splints as being more 

 rational than the one just given: — 



(a) Local splint, which is limited to one spot, and does not 

 involve the bones of the knee. 



(h) Diffuse splint, as in Figs. 79 and 82. 



(c) Splint close to the hnee (Fig. 77), or knee splint. 



GRAVITY OF SPLINT AS REGARDS VARIETY OF HORSE. 

 — A splint on the leg of a heavy cart-horse is not so objectionable 

 as one on that of an animal employed at fast work, especially at 

 trotting ; for concussion is the chief factor in aggravating the pain 

 and lameness of splint. Owing to their unnaturally high action 

 and the nature of their work, hackneys suffer far more from splint 

 lameness than hunters, chasers, and flat-race horses. 



OCCURRENCE OF SPLINT ON INSIDE RATHER THAN ON OUT- 

 SIDE OF LEG. — ^The fact that splints appear more frequently on the inside 

 than on the outside of the fore leg, is usually accounted for by the nature of 

 the conformation of the bones of the fore extremity, in that the internal 

 articulating surfaces of the long and short pastern bones are larger, and are, 

 consequently, more suited to bear weight than the external ones. The con- 



