S P L 



inclining forward, and to raife it when inclined. When 

 they aft together, they, as well as the fplenii, may move 

 the head backward, while the trunk is bent forward, or 

 when we lie upon the belly ; this latter motion is commonly 

 called extenjton, the other Jltxion. See SteRNO-CLEIDO- 



MASTOIDEOS. 



Splenius Capitis, a name given by Albinus to a mufcle, 

 called by Winflow, and others, the miiftoideus J'uperior, or 

 \ipper portion of the fplenius. Riolaiius, and others, call 

 i" the triangularis fplenii. 



Splenius Colli, a name given by Albinus to the mufcle, 

 called by Winflow, and otfiers, majloideus pojlerior, or the 

 lower portion of the fplenius ; and by Cowper, the mufculus 

 inferior fplenii. 



SPLENOCELE, a fwelling of the hernial kind, pro- 

 duced by the fpleen. Although fuch is the meaning of this 

 word, we believe the difeafe exprcflcd by it is more imagi- 

 nary than real. Its poflibility may well be doubted. 



SPLENT, or Splint, among Farriers, a callous, infen- 

 iible excrefcence or grittlc, that fometimes flicks to a horfe's 

 (hank-bone, generally on the infide below the knee. If 

 there be one oppofue to it on the outfide, it is called a 

 pigged or pinned fplent ; becaufe it does as it were pierce the 

 bone, and is extremely dangerous. Some call this a double 

 fplent, and others a thorough fplent. 



Some horfes are more fubjeft to fplents than others ; but 

 young horfes are moil liable to tliefe infirmities, which often 

 ,vvear off, and difappear of themfelves. Team-horfes are 

 very apt to have them. Few horfes put out fplents after 

 they are feven or eight years old, inilels they meet with 

 blows or accidents. A fplent that arifes in the middle of 

 the (hank-bone is no ways dangerous ; but thofe that arife 

 on the back part of tliis bone, when they grow large and 

 prefs again!! the back fiiiew, always caufe lamcnefs or ftiiF- 

 nefs by rubbing againd it ; the others, except they are fitu- 

 ated near the joints, feldom occafion lamenefs. 



It may be noticed, in refpcft to the cure of fplents, that 

 the bell way is not to meddle with them, unlefs they are fo 

 large as to disfigure a horfe, or fo fituated as to endanger 

 his going lame. Splents in their infancy, and on their firft 

 appearance, fhould be well bathed with vinegar or old ver- 

 juice ; which, by ftrengthening the fibres, often puts a ftop 

 to their growth ; for moftly the membrane covering the 

 bone, and not the bone itfelf, is here thickened ; and in 

 fomc conftitutions, purging, and afterwards diuretic drinks, 

 will be a great means to remove the humidity and moidure 

 about the limbs, which is what often gives rife to fuch ex- 

 crefccnces. Various are the remedies prefcribed for this 

 diforder : the ufnal way is to rub the fplent with a round 

 ftick, or the handle of a hammer, and then touch it with 

 oil of origanum. Others lay on a pitch platter, witli a 

 little fublimate, or arfenic, to deftroy the (ubflance : f(/me 

 ufe oil of vitriol, fome tinfture of cantharides ; all which 

 niethods have at times, it is faid, fucceeded ; only they are 

 apt to leave a fear, with the lofs of hair. Thofe applica- 

 tions that arc of a more caiillic nature, often do more 

 hurt than good, efpccially when the fplent is grown very 

 hard, as they produce a running for fcvcral months, which 

 often leaves an ugly fear. Mild blirtcrs, often repeated, 

 fhould be firll tried as the mod eligible method, and will 

 generally fucceed, even beyond cxpeftation : but if they 

 fail, and the fplent be near the knee or joints, fire and 

 blifter, in the fame manner aa for the bone fpavin. 



Splents on the back part of the (hank-bone are difficult 

 to cure, by reafon of the back finews covering them ; the 

 bed way is to bore the fplent in feveral places with 311 



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iron not very hot ; and then to fire in the common way, 

 not making the lines too deep, but very clofc together. 



Splent.s, in Surgery, pieces of wood ufcd in binding up 

 broken limbs. See Fhacture and Splints. 



The word is alfo fometimes ufed for the pieces of a frac- 

 tured bone. 



SPLICE, To, in Sea Language, is to join the two ends 

 of a rope together, or to unite the ends of a rope to any 

 other part of it. There are feveral different methods of 

 performing this operation, according to the fcrviccs on 

 which it is to be employed. The^yZit-rt fplicc is made by 

 untwining the ends of two ropes, or the two ends of one 

 rope, and having placed each of the ftrands of one oppo- 

 fite to, and in the interval between two drands of the other, 

 to draw thera clofe together ; and then interweave the 

 drands of the one into the alternate drands of the other, 

 by penetrating the latter with a fid or marhne fpike, parallel 

 to the axis or length of the rope. This fplice is ufed on 

 the cables, flings, block-drops, and in general all ropes 

 which are not defigned to run through blocks, or where 

 the fplice is not in danger of being loofencd or feparated. 



The long fplice, being fixed in three places, occupies a 

 greater extent of the rope ; but by the divifion of the join- 

 ings, the bulk is alfo divided into different parts of its 

 length. Hence, it is much neater and fmoothcr than the 

 (hort fplice, and better adapted to run through the channel 

 of a block, &c. for which ufe it is generally calculated. 



The eye-fpliee being intended to make a fort of eye or 

 circle at the end of a rope, the drands are untwided, and 

 their extremities thrud through the three drands in that 

 part of the faid rope on which the fplice is to be formed, 

 and thence paffing over the furface of the fecond tlrand, 

 they are again thrud through the third, which completes 

 the operation. 



The cut-fpUce is condrufted in the fame manner as the 

 eye -fplice ; being no other than the ends of two lines 

 fadened together, at a (hort didance from each other, the 

 extremities of either being interwoven into the bight of the 

 other, fo that the line becomes double in the extent of the 

 fplice. This is chiefly ufed in lead-lines, log-lines, and 

 fi(hing-lines, where the (hort fplice would be liable to 

 feparation, as being frequently loofened by the water. Fal- 

 coner. 



The tapered fplice, modly ufed on cables, is made by un- 

 laying a certain length of each cable, then placing them to- 

 gether, and interplacing the (Irands, as in the (hort fplice, 

 twice each way, and hauled tight each time ; then inlay the 

 drands, or ends, fuccefTivcly, and reduce them to a finglc 

 drand, which is again thrud through, and cut off. 1 he 

 fplice is then ferved over with fpuii-yarn, fomething more 

 than the whole length. Drawing-fpUee, ufed on cables, is 

 made by unlaying about three fathoms of the ends ; then 

 place them together, and make a fliort fplice ; then leave 

 about one fathom, and from thence reduce each drand to a 

 long taper, by gradually cutting away as many yarns as ne- 

 ciffary, and neatly point over the taper ; then lay the ends 

 up the cut-lines, and clap in a quarter-feizing at each end 

 of the fplice, an end-fcizing at the beginning of the point- 

 ing, and a dop at the ends of the tails. Tliis is the bell 

 fplice for cables, as it may be readily taken afundcr. An- 

 other good method of making a cable-fpliee is to put the 

 ends in twice each way ; then to pick out the drands, worm 

 part of them round the ciblc, and taper away the red, 

 which (hould be marled clofe down ; then clap on a good 

 throat and two end-feizing« of ratline. 



Splicb, To, among Gardntcrt, is to graft the top of one 

 4jE 2 tree 



