OF SPLENT IN THE HORSE. 2 55 
xasis, and of an earthy salt to impart to them firmness and soli- 
lit y-’’ 
This, gentlemen, is the opinion of a man whose professional 
abilities and indefatigable industry we all must respect ; it is a 
heory which anatomical research will strictly verify. 
I shall next advert to the description of node. 
“Node,” he says, “is a swelling found upon cylindrical bones, 
vhen but thinly covered with integuments. The pain attending 
heir formation is generally obtuse, and principally in the evening. 
“ At first the disease is in the periosteum, and not in the bone, 
is some authors have asserted. It is here simple adhesive in- 
lamination, and consists of an effusion of a glairy albuminous 
luid, situated between the periosteum and the bone. If the 
lisease continue its progress unmolested, this matter appears to 
>e absorbed, and good pus is poured out by the extremities of 
he arteries into this cavity, and which takes place before the 
>one is affected. When this matter is formed, the skin over the 
.welling becomes red, and there are evident marks of suppura- 
ion. Fluctuation, also, is apparent; but this is no rule to judge 
>f the existence of pus, as this symptom is perceptible when the 
glairy fluid exists. The integuments on the surface becoming ab- 
orbed, the matter is discharged through the opening, and the 
)one is found in a diseased state. This is the progress of the 
complaint when allowed to remain and go through its natural 
course. Sometimes nodes will make their appearance in the 
evening, and subside in the morning; and this will continue seve- 
al days, until the periosteum becomes thickened, and takes on 
l permanently diseased state, when it will be found to continue 
>oth day and night, unless reduced by the application of mer¬ 
cury.” 
I have seen it somewhere stated, that there are instances where 
lodes never subside ; but I have not been able to ascertain if 
hey, after remaining stationary for a considerable length of time, 
ake on that sound, healthy appearance, that the enlarged bone 
loes in cases of splent. I consider, then, the splent in the horse 
ind the node in the human subject to be widely different: the 
me is produced by a local cause, and in many instances purely 
accidental; the other almost invariably arises from a vitiated con- 
titution, produced by the venereal poison. I wish to learn one 
hing, and hope there may be some medical gentlemen here who 
vill presently satisfy me, whether the node, after remaining sta- 
ionaiy a considerable time, or after it has gone through its diff¬ 
erent gradations, ever puts on the appearance of healthy bone, 
is described in the former part of this paper; and whether its 
tincture is at all similar to splents d^long standing? 
