564 
ON FIRING. 
I f 4 " J Jt ! ./ J t j I j I J |i J # I / * t # l • f W • * ^ 
periosteum, &c.; and further inquires how I can avoid cauterizing* 
and dividing the important nerves, arteries, and veins, that are 
immediately under the skin. Had he not limited me to a particu¬ 
lar joint, I would have selected the hock-joint for the illustration, 
and attempted to have shewn the radical cure for bone-spavin. 
No; he would fain hope that the fetlock might prove a fast-lock 
to the new system altogether. 
As I have never practised the operation of firing by either 
mode unless palpable disease has existed, it is requisite that 
I should briefly describe the nature of one or two diseases com¬ 
mon to the fetlock-joint of the horse—say, of the fore leg. 
I will suppose a tumour on the inner or the outer ancle conti¬ 
guous to either of the sesamoid bones: this is a very frequent 
cause of lameness, the pulley-like joint formed by the sesamoid 
bones being more or less involved; this enlargement or bulge 
is to be met with rather more .frequently on the inside of the 
fetlock-joint very near to the cutting place , but distinguishable 
from the effects of striking’, in an instant, by the experienced 
eye: it is a diffused swelling consisting of a condensation of cel¬ 
lular tissue and lymph effused under the skin, while the integu¬ 
ments preserve their original or natural thinness; but there is 
usually an accompaniment which completely stamps the cha¬ 
racter of the enlargement, viz., a slight projection or thickening 
of the inner or outer branch of the suspensory ligament , as may 
happen to be the affected side, just below the bifurcation; the 
other parts of the leg may be sound and clean, and the patient 
tolerably free from lameness whilst at rest, but when put to ordi¬ 
nary work lameness ensues immediately. I need scarcely add, 
that this consolidation of parts originates, in nine cases out of ten, 
in a sprain of the elastic suspensory ligament. Sometimes both 
sides of the joint are similarly affected. Now for the cure , and 
I promise Mr. Fenwick I will stick to my text. 
Enlargement of the Fetlock Joint on the Inside of the Fore Leg. 
Lesion the 1st. —A longitudinal incision with the red-hot iron , 
down the centre of the tumour, as if intending to make a section 
of it: this single line comprises about half the cure, and there¬ 
fore it must be boldly done. Merely penetrating the skin from 
top to bottom will not suffice, unless by its retraction a consider¬ 
able furrow is immediately produced of a certain size, generally 
about the width of a large straw: to effect this, it may be neces¬ 
sary also to penetrate a part of the cellular tissue; but Mr. Fen¬ 
wick, in his alarm for the safety of the important nerves, arteries, 
and veins, must have forgotten that, in the morbid condition of 
