DISEASES OP ARTICULATIONS 217 



What is congenital contracture ? 



The only one of practical interest is the neurogenous con- 

 tracture seen in the newly born colt, where, as the result of 

 a paralytic state of the extensor muscles of the legs, the young 

 creature knuckles over in the fetlock more or less. 



OvMine the treatment of contractures. 



In arthrogenous and cicatrical contractures, at least 

 always in the former, the case is hopeless. In tendogenous 

 contracture tenotomy is to be tried and is sometimes success- 

 ful. In myogenous contractures myotomy is indicated, giv- 

 ing in the sprung knee fair results, and usually good, while not 

 permanent, results in crooked tails; the congenital neuroge- 

 nous contractures are treated by mechanical appliances, such 

 as splints, bandages, etc. 



What is the difference between a contracture and a contrac- 

 tion ? 

 From a medical point of view the former represents a- 

 permanent rigidity of a part, while the latter represents a. 

 temporary rigidity. For instance, in lacerations of the exter- 

 nal and oblique flexors of the metacarpus, scar tissue forms,, 

 leading to a shortening (more or less), and therefore perma- 

 nent rigidity of these muscles in this instance is a contracture,, 

 while a temporary contraction of these or other muscles, for 

 that matter, as the result of a clonic spasm, would lead to a 

 temporary rigidity of the muscle ; in other words, to a con- 

 traction. 



Loose Bodies in the Joint (Corpora Libra). 



What are corpora libra ? 



These are smooth, white bodies of variable size, appearing 

 single or multiple, in a joint cavity or synovial tendon sheath, 



