DISEASES OF THE HIP-JOINT. 
335 
and the matter had made its way through the capsular ligaments, 
thus explaining at once the peculiar noise and sensation afforded 
during progression. It was a very remarkable circumstance that 
the pus should have lodged so long without ulcerating its way to 
the surface. 
Not along ago we had a colt under our care which had tumbled 
into a marl-pit: the consequence was, iie fractured the tibia trans¬ 
versely below the stifle, and seriously injured the hip-joint. We 
set the leg, which has done well, and is perfectly straight; but we 
found we had more serious effects to combat with, as regards the 
hip : however, we reduced the inflammation, and restored the colt, 
as far as circumstances would permit, leaving only a slight perma¬ 
nent lameness behind, which does not prevent the animal from 
making a useful slave for agricultural purposes. When it moves 
along, the same sensation is given in this case as the other; and 
I have little doubt that the round ligament was ruptured at the 
time of the fall. 
Cattle are very subject to affections of the hip from scrambling 
upon one another; and often it is accompanied with fracture of the 
pelvis, which is easily detected by the crepitus felt by the hand 
when applied to the part during progression. 
Treatment .—Whenever we meet with diseased action set up in 
important joints, very decided measures should be resorted to, other¬ 
wise we can never recover our lost ground. In foals or calves, al¬ 
though young, the lancet should not be spared, in accordance with 
the age and powers of the animal. When possible, the blood 
should be taken from the vena saphena; the bowels must be un¬ 
loaded and properly regulated, and a strict antiphlogistic treatment 
employed. Local fomentations should be applied to the part af¬ 
fected, carrying them round to the inside of the thigh; also setons 
and cooling applications, taking care that the setons are not placed 
directly upon the affected part, but where they will act as deriva¬ 
tives, Nothing can excel in these cases the old rowelling system 
in the inside of the thigh. 
In older animals, the depletory system must be carried on with 
an unsparing hand. In other respects the same general treatment 
is required as in the younger. 
After all active inflammation has subsided, employ stimulating 
applications, blisters, and rubefacients. Mavor’s steam apparatus 
is excellently adapted, in old chronic affections of the joints, to af¬ 
ford great relief, and powerfully tends, by its judicious application, 
to restore the proper action to the parts affected. It only requires 
the apparatus to be a little modified in its construction to render it 
available to any of the leading joints of the body. 
This plan should be followed up by blisters and mercurial charges. 
