WOUNDS INTO JOINTS. 
49 
the cavity full of an extremely fetid yellowish pus, which had 
even insinuated itself beneath the flexor tendon. The navicu¬ 
lar bone exhibited caries of its articular surface. 
WOUNDS INTO JOINTS. 
By M. Cor ROY, Veterinary Surgeon to the Royal Depot of 
Stallions at Angers* 
WOUNDS penetrating the cavities of joints are not only 
among the most frequent cases of serious accidents to which 
the attention of the Veterinarian is called, but are those that 
interest him most, whether it be from their nature, or from 
their neglect by the owner of the animal, who, deceived by 
their aspect, seldom sends for medical aid until the conse¬ 
quences are such as to render recovery arduous, or even im¬ 
possible. Under these considerations the following remarks 
will not be read perhaps without interest. 
Case I. In March, 1821, a mare, the property of the Count 
of Az—, while breaking in a cabriolet, set a kicking and re¬ 
ceived a wound on the inside of the right hind fetlock, near 
the flexor tendon. I was called five hours after the accident. 
The engorgement was considerable and extended above the 
hock; the limb was raised from the ground in acute pain; 
pulse full and hard: the wound, two lines in breadth, pene¬ 
trated the joint obliquely, from behind forwards and from above 
downwards, and the joint-oil flowed every time the limb was 
moved. 
Bleeding, bathing, and emollient poultices were at first em¬ 
ployed to allay the inflammation, which did not begin to decline 
until the animal became suspended. Although the tumefaction 
diminished, the issue of joint-oil continued, the wound was 
plugged with lint dipped in tincture of aloes, and the fomenta¬ 
tion and poultices continued.—On the 20th day the animal 
walked sound. Still there were occasional eruptions of synovia. 
She was now turned loose into an inclosed but unpaved yard. 
Under a continuance of these means the wound speedily closed, 
^nd the mare perfectly recovered. 
Case II. In August, -1823, a mare belonging to M. Boutton, 
at Angers, in crossing a slated drain, slipped and fell with her 
hind quarters in the ditch: she raised herself with great diffi¬ 
culty ; and in her struggles to accomplish it ran a flint into 
the^ left hock, about half-an-inch to the outer side of the 
VoL. I.—No. 2. E 
