732 
OBSERVATIONS ON AN ARTlCULAli WOUND. 
opening was very small, but the synovia flowed from the slightest 
pressure; and even pressure on the outside of the hock would 
cause it to spirt out from the wound. This evident lesion of the 
synovial membrane, proved by the escape of the fluid, induced me 
to prognosticate very unfavourably with regard to the wound. 
Violent inflammation and great enlargement of the hock, and of 
which it is very difficult to produce any resolution, are the usual 
consequences of opening its articular cavity. 
Treatment .—As no inflammatory appearances had yet presented 
themselves, I prescribed absolute rest and refrigerant lotions; and 
I placed a man behind her, to keep the part constantly wet with 
the lotion. The lotion was composed of salt water, to which vine¬ 
gar and lead were added. I had, at first, some idea of bleeding 
from the saphena vein of the injured leg, and should have done it, 
but a few days before I had, at the request of the owner, bled both 
these mares: I, however, determined to extract blood from the 
plate vein, but in despite of pressure above the opening, and all 
other means, I could not obtain any bloody from this vessel. I then 
tried the anterior cephalic, but with no better success. I next 
opened the jugular, and obtained what quantity of blood I desired. 
After this, and notwithstanding a caution from the owner, I had 
the imprudence not to pin up the opening of the plate vein. The 
day passed over, and no blood proceeded from this orifice; but at 
half past eight at night when the coachman Avas about to give them 
their last feed, he found her covered with blood, and which flowed 
in a stream behind her. A servant was despatched for me in great 
haste, and on my arrival I found her very feeble and covered with 
a cold sweat, although still on her legs. The bleeding had stopped 
before I could reach her. 
The pulse was imperceptible, and the respiration exceedingly 
laborious. I now took especial care to close the orifice, and ordered 
some good gruel to be prepared, which she immediately drunk. 
No medicine was given, but we trusted to wholesome yet not too 
abundant food to restore her to her former condition. I feel it a 
duty to record this inexcusable neglect. It is often practised by 
the farrier and the empiric, and I have practised it myself, without 
any bad consequence resulting; but I have now received a good 
lesson, which I shall never forget. 
About the middle of the first day after the accident, the discharge 
of synovia suddenly stopped, and appeared no more; we continued 
to apply the lotion which had been ordered at the beginning. I 
made a point of seeing her during the first eight days after the 
accident, and in all that time not one inflammatory symptom de¬ 
veloped itself. There remained a very slight swelling over the 
opening into the hock, but there was neither pain nor heat, nor 
