LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
665 
for our own part, generally chosen the inferior side, or most de- 
pendent part of the tumour. This, however, we are told by 
Hurtrel d’Arboval is wrong. He prefers the superior part of the 
tumour : assigning as his reason, that the fluid ought to be forced 
out by pressure rather than be suffered to run out of itself, and that 
as soon as it be all pressed out, great care ought to be taken to 
close the wound, and to keep applied for some days a compress 
and bandage upon it, adding, if we like, some discutient lotion. 
He objects to the aperture being made beneath, because the fluid 
would then run away by itself and prevent any healing, and 
might cause it to become fistulous. 
A Seton, passed through from an aperture above to one below, 
or from side to side, would certainly have the effect of giving vent 
to the discharge as it became secreted ; but, exposing to the air 
and creating suppurative action in such a joint-like cavity as a 
bursa, we regard as highly objectionable and dangerous practice : 
we have known the worst of consequences ensue from it, and we 
have, on that account, for some considerable time, abandoned all 
thoughts of setoning synovial structures. 
Should it happen, after the discharge of the fluid, that the 
wound made by the instrument heals forthwith, fresh secretion 
would be certain to be poured out, and the sac to become re-filled. 
More commonly, however, it happens that the secreted fluid con- 
tinues, in part, to find escape for a few days through the puncture, 
in the course of which time inflammation sets in and closes up the 
opening, the only danger being now of greater inflammatory action 
and swelling following than is agreeable either to our patient or 
to ourselves. Antiphlogistic treatment, constitutional as well as 
topical, will, of course, in such a case be called for to a given 
extent; the object being, not to drive away the inflammatory 
action, but to keep it within such limits as shall conduce to the 
end we have in view ; viz. the effusion of lymph into the sac, 
and not of pus, and through that the adhesion of its sides and 
ultimate obliteration of its cavity. On the other hand, should it 
so happen that the inflammation is insufficient for the object we 
have in view, we have it in our power to produce such in the part 
either by some external application or by some stimulant or es- 
charotic injection. All this, however, as well as the other points 
of treatment, will have to be more defined and detailed when we 
come to treat of individual windgalls. 
[To be continued.] 
4 x 
VOL. XXI. 
