LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
133 
joint of the carpus —the articulation formed between the two rows 
of small bones; consequently, the synovial fluid freely passes 
during the motions of the knee-joint from the bursal cavity into 
that of the joint, and vice versa. 
It IS THESE ( carpal ) BURSAE which are the seats of the disease 
called “ windgall of the knee.” They become enlarged in conse¬ 
quence of anormal collections of synovia in this middle compart¬ 
ment of the knee-joint; and the augmented secretion of fluid is 
probably owing to causes similar to such as have been already de¬ 
tailed as occasioning the same in other bursse connected with joints. 
The disease is so very rare that there are veterinarians, probably, 
who may have never seen it. When present, it discovers itself in 
the form of one or two small round tumours in front of the knee, 
which from their elasticity and fluctuation evidently contain fluid, 
and which may, while the foot is off the ground and the knee-joint 
relaxed, be in general, by pressure, emptied of their contents. They 
are productive neither of lameness nor inconvenience, and are 
thought nothing of, save they should happen to offend as eye-sores. 
Strong stimulating applications or blisters might, were it desired, 
reduce their magnitude ; though in general, when they do exist, as 
soon as their innocuous nature comes to be explained, but little 
heed is taken of them. 
We remember seeing, a great many years ago, a very fine 
three-parts bred covering stallion, called Alfred, the property of 
Major Talbot, of Stone Castle, near Dartford, who had a tumour 
of this description directly in front of one of his knees. It was 
about the size of a walnut, and appeared as though it were double , 
or consisted of one tumour upon another. Not the slightest incon¬ 
venience in any way resulted from its presence. 
A DIFFERENT KIND OF “ WlNDGALL OF THE KNEE” is that 
which on occasions presents itself above as well as in front of the 
joint, taking the direction of the tendon of the extensor metacarpi , 
of the bursa of which it is an enlargement. In the case which I 
find I have registered of this description, it appeared to have had 
its origin in “ pawing in the stall,” a habit to which Lord C-e’s 
mare—the subject of it—was much addicted; and it was pretty 
well ascertained that, in so doing, she was continually striking her 
knee against the manger. This is a different case from that of 
distended theca. 
I have likewise seen windgalls upon the tendons of the flexors at 
the back of the arm, immediately above the knee. 
Windgall in front of the Fetlock. 
There are two localities or forms in which windgall shews itself 
in this situation, according as its seat is the superficial or the deep 
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