22 THE CANADIAN HOESE 



Treatment is very unsatisfactory and uncertain. It should 

 be treated the same as bbg-spavin, which see, page 30. 



INTBESTITIAL ABSOEPTION. , 



The^ process of absorption is constantly going on in the 

 tissue of bone, as in all other tissues of the body. Some- 

 times this goes on to such an extent as to almost destroy the 

 texture of the part. This absorption of the inner textures 

 of the bone is sometimes met with in the stifle-joint, where 

 we find the condyles of the femur sometimes waste away, 

 become light and porous, and less in size, which allows the 

 patella or "knee-pan" to glide off and on as the joint is 

 extended or flexed. 



Symptoms. — In almost aU cases of chronic lameness in 

 the stifle or shoulder which do not yield to treatment, we 

 find that interstitial absorption is going on. If in the 

 condyles of the femur, of course, we have luxation of the 

 patella at every step, which may be heard knacking into its 

 place when the animal is walking. 



Treatment. — Continued rest in a level straw-yard or large 

 loose-box must be given. He must be liberally supplied 

 with good nourishing diet ; the tipped shoe should be put on, 

 and repeated blisters may help to hasten the process of 

 reproduction of the condyle. - 



ENOHONDEOMA. 



Enchondroma is a cartilaginous growth on a bone. It is 

 not very common in the lower animals ; but we occasion- 

 ally meet with it in cattle. Sometimes it grows to a con- 

 siderable size on the ribs, seldom causing any constitutional 

 disturbance whatever, unless it becomes so large as to inter- , 

 fere with some vital organ, as it sometimes does, when it 

 occurs on the cartilages of the ribs. 



