682 
DISPLACEMENT OF THE BICEPS FEMORIS MUSCLE. 
middle third of the femur. There was no pain, and the lameness was found 
to be due to distortion of the coronary joint, which was cured in fourteen 
days, the above-described changes continuing, but without occasioning 
lameness. 
The accident was probably due to old fracture of the tuber ischii, resulting 
in the point of insertion of the biceps femoris muscle being torn away and the 
muscle being displaced in a forward direction, thus differing from the condition 
usual in cattle, where displacement is backward. 
, Feyer describes a case which may have been due to displacement of the 
biceps femoris muscle. The horse was in heavy work. When at rest, weight 
was equally placed on both hind limbs, hut the left limb was held a little 
further from the middle line of the body. On the outer side of the left thigh 
was a depression about 8 inches long and 2 deep, beginning in front of 
and below the biceps femoris muscle, and extending obliquely downwards 
and backwards, becoming more and more shallow as it progressed. Behind 
this, and corresponding to it in extent, was a swelling in the position occupied 
by the anterior edge of the semi-tendinosus muscle. The swelling seemed on 
palpation 1 ike a mass of tense muscle. The skin could be lifted and moved 
over the surface of the depression ; pain and increased warmth were absent. 
In walking the leg was advanced with a circular sweep and set down in a 
position of abduction. The stride was shorter than that of the sound leg, 
and the leg was lifted and advanced soon after it passed the vertical position. 
The horse was not very lame when trotting, though the peculiar gait was 
moie marked. As the horse was still able to do the slow work in which it 
had been engaged no treatment was carried out. 
Wilhelm saw acute atrophy of the abductor muscles in a horse. There 
was at first abnormal sensitiveness and severe prurigo, causing the animal to 
bite the parts, but this disappeared in a week, and was succeeded within 
fourteen days by well-marked atrophy; the muscles were relaxed, but there 
was no lameness.. . It is difficult to say whether this Avas a case of neuritis or 
of localised myositis. Possibly it was due to thrombosis of the vessels of the 
affected muscles. 
IX.—HIP LAMENESS. 
The lamenesses described on previous pages may generally be diagnosed 
by careful examination, but not infrequently the symptoms are so ill- 
defined that it is impossible to detect the exact cause, in addition to 
Avhich pathological changes occur in the quarter and upper parts of the 
hind limb, especially around the hip-joint, the exact nature of which 
evades even the most careful examination. Owing to the thickness of the 
muscles, thorough palpation of deep-seated structures is impracticable, 
and inflammatory swellings and other anatomical changes often remain 
undetected, leaving the cause of disease obscure. Such cases are generally 
included under “hip lameness.” The term comprises all forms of 
obscure lameness, in Avhich, however, the symptoms point to the hip 
region as the seat of injury; “ hip lameness,” therefore, has the same 
position amongst lamenesses of the hind limb as “ shoulder lameness” 
amongst those of the fore limb. 
1 o enumerate all the diseased conditions which might produce hip 
