62 
OTHER REMEDIES FOR SPAVIN. 
scientific veterinarian will take little heed of such empirical Ian- 
guage as this ; but will apply himself to the thorough compre- 
hension of the state and stage of the disease he is, under the 
appellation of “ spavin,” called on to treat, and apply his remedies 
accordingly. 
Obviously, the important consideration in undertaking the treat- 
ment of spavin must, I repeat, be whether the case is actually 
one of the periosteal or articular description ; and by way of 
assisting the judgment of the young veterinarian in discriminating 
between the two, it may not be amiss in this place to remind 
him — 1st, That a recent case of spavin, and one occurring for the 
first time — not a relapse — is, presumably, periosteal; and is with 
still more reason regarded as such when the exostosis accompanies 
or precedes the lameness ; 2dly, That heat and tenderness in the 
tumour are evidences of the lameness being referrible to it, and to 
it alone ; 3dly, That, although no tumour or external spavin may 
be perceptible, we are not, therefore, to set the case down as one 
of articular disease, since tumour may shortly make its appear- 
ance : knowing, as we do, that exostosis or callus may exist in 
situations where from its being covered by ligament or tendon, or 
by both, the nicest examination will fail to detect it ; 4thly, That 
spavin in a young — an unbroke — horse is likely to be periosteal; 
5thly, That lameness will, under exercise or exertion, abate or 
disappear when arising from periosteal spavin ; whereas, very 
often, when articular disease is present, the lameness will be in- 
creased instead of lessened by motion or work. Appearances and 
circumstances the reverse of these will dispose us to regard the 
case as articular ; at the same time, it must be borne in mind that 
it is, indeed, very problematical whether such a case as pure or 
uncombined articular spavin ever exists. My opinion, as before 
expressed, is, that the disease outside gives rise to the disease 
inside the hock joint; — that the two have a pathological con- 
nexion, and, whenever the latter is present, a simultaneous exist- 
ence. Chronic or inveterate lameness — lameness that has existed 
for a length of time, the horse having the while been kept at work; 
relapse upon relapse of lameness, and the patient aged ; are all 
circumstances favouring the presence of the compound spavin. 
For this case, as we have seen, firing is the remedy; and the 
firing, to produce its utmost effect, must be, I again say, both 
extensive and severe. In fact, the owner of such a horse, should 
he expect a cure to be performed, must make up his mind to con- 
sent to a course of treatment which cannot but necessarily occupy 
some months. Should there lurk any doubt about the case, that 
it calls for the adoption of such strong measures as these, or there 
be any disinclination to adopt them, or should the case clearly be 
