AN ESSAY ON CHRONIC PODOTROCHOLITIS. 
529 
with exudation and the deposition of a white hard matter between 
the nervous fibres. This scirrhous tumour, as it has been termed 
by Rigot, envelopes and compresses the nerve, easily escapes being 
seen, and, on account of its chronic progress, the lameness caused 
by it may easily be confounded with that arising from podotro- 
cholitis. The distinction between the two is chiefly based on a 
small circumscribed tumour which is to be found on the course of 
the nerves, along the cannon bone : compression of this tumour 
provokes for the moment an intense degree of pain, and it is thus 
that we are enabled to detect the seat of the disease*. 
VII. — SHOULDER LAMENESS. 
Among all the various diseases of the fore extremities, there are 
none which render the diagnostic of podotrocholitis more obscure 
than those lamenesses which arise in the shoulder. The disease, 
that actually exists in the foot, is too often only looked for in 
the shoulder. In the time of the farriers of old, the shoulder was, 
as Renner ably expresses it, the asylum ignorantice , if the seat of 
a lameness could not be discovered elsewhere ; and at the present 
day, it must be confessed, that it is sought for, and thought to be 
discovered, where it does not exist. The shoulder, although very 
innocent, patiently endures all the tortures inflicted upon it 
through the medium of a variety of more or less potent agents, 
* Tumours on the nerves frequently succeed neurotomy, and chiefly when, 
after the lesion of a vessel, a bandage is applied, and the hemorrhage gives 
rise to a large clot. 
In Lithuania I have seen a great number of these tumours, below the 
pastern joint, arising from blood-letting from the lateral veins. 
Although the law forbids empiricism, there may be met with, throughout 
the whole of Russia, the capitals not excepted, disbanded soldiers, Zingani or 
gipsies, vagabonds and others of a similar class, who, under the appellation 
of Konowal , publicly practise veterinary surgery, without being interfered 
with by the authorities. Among other absurd practices, they have one which 
consists in immediately opening the lateral veins of every horse that goes 
lame. The Zingani make use of an instrument for this purpose, which they 
fabricate themselves. They flatten a piece of iron wire at one end, and give 
it an edge by sharpening it upon the first stone they meet with, and after- 
wards curve it near to the edge thus whetted. With this new species of 
fleam, which more resembles a scraper, and the blade of which is always 
jagged, the operators are obliged to strike repeated blows before they can 
succeed in drawing blood. In their perfect ignorance they are quite satisfied 
if the instrument is in the neighbourhood of the vein, and they respect 
neither tendons, ligaments, or nerves. This rough treatment induces 
neuromes, whence result violent and obstinate lamenesses. If, as often hap- 
pens, the lateral cartilages of the foot are injured, we find ossification of 
them the result. 
VOL. XIX. 
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