784 
DISEASES OF THE HOCK. 
seems necessary, except to remove excessive granulations by suitable 
caustics.. The wound generally cicatrises in three weeks, and after a 
further interval of a fortnight the horse can be put to work. 
In many cases this method is successful, but in others recovery does 
not occui, while in a certain, though small, proportion acute inflammation 
of the hock-joint develops, and proves fatal. If in making the incision 
the operator cut too deeply, which is sometimes unavoidable, and alight 
on the boundary between the scaphoid and cuneiform bones, the joint is 
opened, and purulent or septic arthritis readily follows. It is, therefore, 
veil not to make the incision too far back. Dieckerhoff recommends the 
centre point between the anterior and posterior borders of the joint. 
No purpose is served by proceeding antiseptically, for success depends 
on the inflammation produced, and especially on the periostitis. 
The bins a can also be opened with a rather sharply-pointed pyriform 
cautery. It. seems of no importance which method is adopted, though in 
using the firing-iron care must be taken not to open the joint. The larger 
the exostosis, the less the danger. 
Ly bearing in mind that union depends chiefly on the formation of 
exostoses aiound the joint, and that the articular surfaces themselves can 
onl) glow togethei after extensive destruction of the articular cartilage, 
the reason for seeking to produce extensive bony deposit will be apparent! 
Periosteotomy is the surest method of effecting this, and has been widely 
leeommended in the treatment of spavin. The operations recommended 
do not differ in any essential point. Peters’ method gives excellent 
results. 
It is as follows :— 
I he hoise is cast on the diseased side, and by a cord passed round the 
corresponding front limb, the upper hind leg is drawn far enough forward 
to clear the seat of operation. The hair is then cut away from the inner 
surface of the hock-joint, midway between its anterior and posterior 
borders, to the. extent of about one square inch, the surface washed with 
soap, linsed with sublimate or carbolic solution, and the other antiseptic 
precautions, such as cleansing the hands, placing the instruments in 
carbolic solution, &c., complied with. By means of a probe-pointed 
bistoury or scalpel, an incision, at right angles to the long axis of the 
limb, and about half an inch in length, is then made through the skin 
and fascia at the disinfected spot, a pair of curved scissors are introduced 
through the opening as far as the joint between the blades, and the skin 
divided from underlying tissues in the form of a “V,” the instrument 
being first thrust forward, then backward, severing the subcutis. The 
slightly-curved knife (fig. 268, a) is next introduced into the front pocket 
of skin, the cutting edge directed backwards to avoid injuring the vena 
saphena. As soon as it has entered up to the handle, the cutting edge 
