SPAVIN. 
363 
can reach them, so as to make a perfect cure.” — “ A charge, or caus- 
tick ointment, with sublimate or arsenic, is the most likely to succeed 
in this case.” — “ I have known some bold ignorant fellows succeed 
in such cases.” — “ The same thing has happened by firing deep 
into the spavin.” — “A true spavin in an old horse proves no less 
difficult ; and in such cases, firing all round the hock, and after- 
wards turning them out to grass, is the most likely to succeed, so 
far at least as to fit them for some sort of business ; though the 
stiffness of the hock will be but little abated, even if the spavin be 
removed, stiffness on bending of the joints being an infirmity to 
which all old horses are more or less subject, even where there is 
no manifest malady or disease*.” 
I have made my extracts from Gibson so full and lengthy, that 
my readers might see how much, a century ago, had been accom- 
plished in the way of treatment of spavin ; and now that they 
have perused this excellent account, T can entertain no doubt of 
the professional part of them, at least, being of opinion with me, 
that the veterinarians of the present day have little to boast of in 
the way of innovation or discovery in this department of veteri- 
nary therapeutics. 
What did Coleman say on the subject? He took 
an anatomico-philological view of it, and said, “ neither spavin nor 
splent was ever cured.” By this he meant, that the fibro-cartila- 
ginous tissue, which was converted by these diseases into osseous 
substance, was never re-converted into its original soft elastic tex- 
ture, but for ever remained bone. Nevertheless, Coleman blistered 
and fired, the same as veterinary practitioners of the present day 
are in the habit of doing. 
The important subject of the treatment of spaivin conveniently 
resolves itself for our consideration into two divisions ; — into the 
curability of the disease, and the remedial agents most proper or 
likely to work a cure. 
The Curability of Spavin 
Is a question the answer to which, to avoid blame thereafter, re- 
quires a good deal more of caution and circumspection than is apt 
to be given to it. When persons talk about “cure,” it is for pro- 
fessional men to ascertain what meaning they attach to the word ; 
whether by cure they mean restoration to perfect soundness, or 
simply that approximation to soundness which enables the animal 
to do his work, in effect at least, as well, or as much to the satis- 
* A new Treatise on the Diseases of Horses. By Wm. Gibson, Surgeon, 
1754, 2d edit. 
