DESCRIPTION OF A BANDAGE FOR CAPPED HOCKS. 695 
Last year, while on the Continent, I chanced to pitch my tent, 
for a few weeks, in the little village of St. H , in the wilds 
of the forest of Ardennes. I there made the acquaintance of 
Monsieur Willieme, government veterinary surgeon to the dis- 
trict (for in Belgium a licentiate of the veterinary school is ap- 
pointed to each tract of country, and paid by the state). My 
friend having received leave of absence for some days, requested 
me to look after his patients, which I accordingly did. Among 
others was a very fine, powerful, bay charger, the property of an 
officer commanding a detachment of gens d’armes. 
He had been under treatment for capped hock. The com- 
bined efficiency and simplicity of the hock bandage gratified me 
much ; and as I do not think the best mode of securing a band- 
age on that complicated joint is generally known in this coun- 
try, I have much pleasure in forwarding an account and diagram 
of the same. I may state, that the phlegmonous tumour had 
been laid open, and a pledget of tow, saturated with tincture of 
aloes, inserted therein. The object of the bandage was to retain 
this in its place, which was accomplished as follows: — 
Tie. Tie. 
A piece of cloth, a, sufficient to embrace the joint, is secured 
around it by four ties from its respective corners. 
At b is a circular hole cut in the cloth a, large enough to 
allow the projection of the point of the hock. 
At c c are two other longitudinal cuts in the cloth a, deep 
enough to allow the bandage d to pass through one of them ; 
then under the cloth a over the point of the hock at b ; again 
under the cloth a and out at the other cut c ; after which a few 
turns may be taken, and secured in the ordinary way. 
By this simple contrivance we find it a very easy matter to 
retain, against the possibility of displacement, any dressing, 
should it be on the very angle of the joint. 
I remain your’s. 
Kilmore by Oban, Nov. 9th, 1842. 
