024 
FRACTURES OF THE SESAMOID RONES. 
almost exclusively in fore feet, sometimes affecting one, sometimes both. 
It has also been seen in the hind feet in heavy draught-horses. The 
symptoms may either appear suddenly or quite gradually, the course 
taken varying according to the severity and extent of the pathological 
changes. As in practice these cannot be directly observed, their gravity 
must he estimated from the amount of tenderness or lameness, and from 
the duration of the disease. Experience shows that severe cases gene¬ 
rally last six to eight weeks, those of recent origin, in which pain is 
slight, recovering, on the other hand, in a few days if the cause be 
removed and the horse properly shod. It is best, before formulating 
a prognosis, to await the results of the new method of shoeing. 
Treatment. The most useful measures consist in shortening the toe, 
equalising the bearing in the joint, and raising the back of the foot by 
calkins or by thick heels. The animal must be rested. Absorption is 
assisted by bandaging or by warm moist applications. Firing and 
blistering are less useful, the. deep-seated position of the ligaments pre¬ 
venting their action extending sufficiently far. For some time after 
lameness disappears rapid or heavy draught is to be avoided, and the 
horse should, as far as possible, be worked on soft ground. 
VI.—FRACTURES OF THE SESAMOID BONES. 
Though rare, these fractures have repeatedly been seen in horses. 
Williams found the sesamoid bones broken in several places after 
galloping in deep sand. Howell saw one of the sesamoid bones broken 
into five portions under similar circumstances. The sandy shore of 
Portobello is stated to be notorious for producing such accidents. 
Transverse fracture has also been seen. As it is produced by the pull of 
the upper and lower sesamoidean ligaments, this method of fracture 
appears very natural. Rutherford saw a horse which after making a 
few bounds went very lame; the sesamoid bones of all four feet were 
afterwards found transversely fractured. Moller has several times seen . 
fracture of the sesamoid bones accompanied by tearing of the suspensory 
ligament. Partial rupture of the suspensory ligament, with loosening 
of larger or smaller portions of the sesamoid bone, is seen in race¬ 
horses. Cadiot is of opinion that the sesamoid bones of the fore limb 
may be fractured by a direct blow from the toe of the hind foot. Such 
an accident seems possible, but Cadiot’s suggestion would not explain 
bilateral fracture, still less fracture in hind limbs. 
Moller witnessed fracture of both sesamoid bones and partial rupture of 
the superior and. inferior sesamoidean ligaments in a working-horse which 
had been kept in the stable for some weeks on account of lameness. 
Schoneck describes a similar case in a Russian trotting-horse. A cart-horse, 
which had been lested for a long time on account of disease of the tendons, 
