234 The Diseases of Animals 
BIG-KNEE AND OTHER ENLARGEMENTS 
Big-knee in horses is comparable with ring-bone or 
spavin, except that it occurs at the knee-joint. There 
is inflammation, followed by a bony bunch, or exostosis, 
and often by anchylosis. Firing, a blister and rest 
comprise the best treatment. Horses affected in this 
way are of little value. 
Inflammation followed by exostosis and anchylosis 
may occur at almost any joint in the body. The symp- 
toms and treatment are practically the same as for 
ring-bone, spavins and big-knee. 
SPLINT 
A “splint” is an exostosis occurring on the inside of 
the fore leg below the knee, between the splint-bone 
and the cannon-bone. It rarely occurs on the out- 
side, or on the hind leg, and such cases are prob- 
ably due to an injury. Splints are rather common in 
young horses, especially colts, but unless they are 
close to the knee so that inflammation is liable to 
extend to the knee-joint, they are usually of little im- 
portance, except for the blemish that the bunch causes. 
In some cases there may be persistent lameness asso- 
ciated with the splint. Such animals are considered 
to be unsound. 
The splint-bone on the inside of the fore leg is a 
small bone attached to the side of the ecannon-bone 
by means of ligaments. On the top of this splint- 
bone rests one of the bones of the knee. Any severe 
