732 
DISEASES OF THE HOCK. 
and Bassi. Bassi makes two or three converging incisions through the 
skin at the diseased spot, loosens the subcutis, and fills the pockets thus 
formed with blister. 
Setons, formerly much used, are now no longer employed. They are 
easily lubbed out by the opposite foot, and leave ugly scars. 
(2) ihe actual cautery. On account of the more intense and penetrat¬ 
ing inflammation produced, firing is more effective than blistering, and 
(cceteris paribus) in direct proportion to the intensity and extent of the 
peiiosteal imitation which it excites. It is of little importance whether 
the filing be in lines or points; the great thing is to set up artificial 
inflammation in the depths. Many practitioners, therefore, prefer to 
perforate the skin with a pear-shaped iron ; in France a long point is 
preferred (feu perforant). In Germany, Gerlach tried the latter and 
other methods, but renounced them on account of the risk of producing 
fatal inflammation of the joint. Perforation of the skin and of the bursa 
of the flexor metatarsi with the pyriform iron is usually harmless, and is 
unquestionably amongst the most effective methods of dealing with 
spavin. On the othei hand, the point, when incautiously used, may 
cause dangerous arthritis, especially if too thick and too long, or if any 
portion of the joint be opened. The point used in France is from f to f 
of an inch long, and therefore seldom penetrates the joint, but when there 
is no marked exostosis, such an accident is quite possible. In presence 
of a large bony spavin, perforation is scarcely ever followed by bad 
lesults. Ihe pointed iron produces excellent results where well-developed 
bony growths make it impossible to penetrate the joint. In this respect 
the greatest caution must be observed in well-bred horses with thin 
skins. 
_ tlle deposit be slight, the red-hot iron should he applied once to the 
highest point of the swelling, and passed through the skin into the bone 
by firm pressure.. In dealing with large spavins, this may be done at two 
or even three points. As a rule, a blister of sublimate (1 to 6) may at 
once be applied. Sometimes the tendon sheath of the flexor metatarsi 
muscle becomes acutely inflamed, and severe lameness lasting several 
days results. This need cause no alarm, for the inflammation will pass 
away of itself. When the exostosis is smaller, the use of the point is 
somewhat dangerous. 
The pointed cautery is unquestionably the best means of dealing with 
spavin. Dollar disinfects the parts and uses the platinum-pointed 
cautery, applying a surgical dressing immediately afterwards, instead of 
blistering; or, preferably, saturating the parts several times daily with 
5 per cent, creolin solution. (See Dollar’s “ Operative Technique,” p. 125.) 
In Germany, Hoffmann recently advocated the pointed iron. He uses 
knitting-needles held in a pair of forceps, and introduced glowing hot. The 
