AND HIS DISEASES. 1] 



ing the water. It gives great relief, by constringing the 

 vessels, and subduing the inflammation. 



The common practice is, after having reduced the inflam- 

 mation by cooling applications, to apply a blister, as canthari- 

 dine ointment, or iodine, or bin-iodide of mercury ointments. 

 Others have more faith in setons, and we have seen most 

 beneficial efiects from them. 

 ^«X Professor Sewell was the first to introduce the operation 

 of cutting the periosteum, or periosteotomy. This has found 

 many advocates among veterinarians of the present day. It 

 consists in making an incision in the skin, and passing in a 

 probe-pointed bistoury, and i dividing the distended mem- 

 brane. It sometimes gives immediate relief, the periosteum 

 in these cases acting the same as a tight shoe on a person's 

 foot. It is-always advisable to follow this up by the inser- 

 tion of a seton, which should be kept in for several weeks. 

 In the majority of cases, it is best not to meddle too much 

 with them, particularly if near the knee, as we cannot re^ 

 move them. We can only arrest the inflammation, or hasten 

 its consolidation. In most old animals, nature absorbs the 

 superfluous deposits, and leaves the bone nearly as fine as 

 before. 

 V Splint, really speaking, is an unsoundness; but in our 

 opinion it should seldom be called so, unless it is situated 

 near the knee, or is very large, and on a badly -formed jeg. 



BONE-SPAVIN. 



Another very common form of exostosis is bone-spavin, 

 which consists in a bony enlargement on the antero-internal 

 part of the hock. 



There are two distinct kinds of bone-spavin. The first is 

 in all respects similar to splint, and arises from inflamma- 

 tion of the periosteum. It frequently comes on insidiously. 



