2(55 
ON CRAMP, DISLOCATION OF THE PATELLA, 
AND HOCK LAMENESS. 
By Mr. W. C. Spooner, P".*S’., Winchester. 
In the last December Number, there appears a paper, by a 
foreign veterinarian, entitled, Cramp in Horses,’^ which, I 
think, deserves a few remarks, both from the novelty of the sub¬ 
ject, and as it is calculated to mislead a novice ; though a sci¬ 
entific practitioner will at once perceive the errors it contains. 
It appears that the writer, having met with many cases of lame¬ 
ness with the cause and seat of w'hich he was unacquainted, 
resolves to get out of the difficulty by classing them all under 
the denomination of cramp; alike regardless of the true mean¬ 
ing of the term and the great discrepancy that occurs in the 
symptoms of his cases. It is enough for him to know that no 
exterior lesion is discoverable, in order to persuade himself that 
the case is one of cramp. 
He divides cramp into three sorts ; but this division is only an 
attempt to support false premises by ideal distinctions, and is 
of no utility whatever. The first case he details presents the 
exact symptoms of dislocation of the patella; and if we could 
conceive it possible that the bone could have slipped into its 
place from the effects of the friction, unknown to M. Prevost, 
it would readily explain the mystery. 
I remember about two years since being sent for to attend a 
colt that had suddenly lost the use of one of his legs the pre¬ 
vious day. He had been put into a stable, perfectly well, with 
the intention of being sold by auction, at a sale ; but on moving 
him out for that purpose, a few hours afterwards, he went en¬ 
tirely on three legs : the off hind leg was dragged after the 
others, the animal not possessing the slightest capeibility of 
flexing it. I was assured by several respectable farmers that 
it was, that it must be the cramp, and nothing else; however, 
on minute examination, I discovered that the patella was dis¬ 
located outwards. I therefore desired an assistant to pull the 
I foot forwards, and, getting behind the colt, I dovetailed my hands 
' in front of the patella, and forced the bone into its place. The 
> cramp advocates stared with surprise on finding the colt could 
\ use his limb with freedom ; but, to satisfy themselves further, 
I they made him trot and turn suddenly, and in a minute or two 
the bone was again dislocated ; it was, however, reduced with 
1 much less difficulty and force than before : he was again trotted 
, and frightened, and the immobility of the limb once more re- 
( turned, but the bone regained its situation without assistance 
1 VOL. VIII. 0 0 
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