AND HIS DISEASES. 41 



muscular tissue is apt to waste if it is deprived of its usual 

 amount of exercise, as we frequently see in the shoulder ; 

 the shoulder shrinking on one or both <sides, while the real 

 seat of the disease is in the feet ; therefore it is very neces- 

 sary to be able to distinguish shoulder-lameness from many 

 other affections with which it is apt to be confounded. 



We have seldom any recognisable tumefaction, nor much 

 heat, unless it be recent and violent. These muscles being 

 the chief agents in extending and flexing the limb, it gives 

 great pain to execute these movements. For this reason, 

 he " drags the toe along the ground," the leg being moved of 

 a piece, as it were, and swung round so as to prevent raising 

 the shoulder. Most pain is evinced in going down hill, when 

 the weight is thrown forward on the shoulder. At rest, the 

 limb is thrown forward, and he rests oh the toe. By taking 

 the leg up, and extending it forward with some degree of 

 force, he will evince pain ; extreme flexion, by drawing it 

 backward, does the same ; by pressing on the point of the 

 shoulder, pain is evinced ; or the muscle may be pinched by 

 the fingers, and if that be the seat of the lameness, he will 

 yield to the pressure. 



Treatment. — Rest must be given, the part should be well 

 fomeiited with hot water, which should be kept up for nearly 

 an hour at a time ; this should be continued till the inflam- 

 mation is subdued, when blisters, setons, or firing may restore 

 him to soundness. In many cases, however, this proves a 

 very obstinate lameness. In simple sprain of the flexor 

 brachii we have found setons very beneficial. They may be 

 kept running for about a month or six weeks. 



SPEAIN OP THE BACK TENDONS. 



The principal seat of sprain in the fore-limb is in the 

 tendons at -the back part of the leg, usually called sprain of 



