DISLOCATION OF THE PATELLA. 195 
then resumed her work, and up to this time she has never had a 
return of the affection. 
Observation .—The affection in this mare can be most clearly 
traced to an accident. On the 28th of January she received a 
severe kick on the off hip, which caused a swelling and a collec¬ 
tion of serous fluid very deeply situated among the muscles. She 
was blistered many times and had long rest, and the muscles 
wasted away; and I should imagine it arose from relaxation of 
the straight ligaments of the patella, which are a continuation of 
the tendons of the muscles (the two vasti and the rectus), and 
which therefore allowed the patella to slip more easily over the 
external condyle of the femur. 
Another Case of Dislocation of the Patella . 
B. 28, bay mare, aged four; admitted Dec. 18, 1848, with 
dislocation of the patella (outwards). This mare was also found 
at evening stable hour to be affected under precisely similar cir¬ 
cumstances to the foregoing. I had much difficulty in reducing 
the dislocation, on account of the mare being of a highly irritable 
disposition ; and when she found herself so completely restrained, 
and her leg in such a novel position, her frantic attempts to kick 
presented a very peculiar appearance, as the whole leg went 
in one piece, as it were, convulsively backwards and forwards. 
However, by dint of backing the mare, and at the same time em¬ 
ploying all the force we could against the outside of the patella, it 
went into its place ; but the mare, from her long efforts at kicking, 
had violently strained or ruptured the ligaments of the patella, for 
after the reduction she was very lame, and went with a peculiar 
kind of hop, like a horse lame in the hip. She was afterwards kept 
moving for an hour or two, for there was such a spasmodic action 
of the muscles, that it was with great difficulty we could prevent 
a repetition of the dislocation. A shoe with a very long toe-piece 
was applied, and the mare placed in a loose box. On the follow¬ 
ing morning a strong blister was applied to the stifle. For some 
weeks after this, as the mare walked about the box you could 
hear a sound, and also perceive the patella partly slip off at each 
step. The blister was repeated, the mare appeared to be going 
on well, and a common shoe was applied; when on the 5th of 
February she was again admitted, with dislocation of the patella 
outwards of the same leg, and has since undergone exactly simi¬ 
lar treatment; and is now on hand, and likely to prove a very 
troublesome case, as the patella may be heard partly slipping off 
as she walks round the box. 
Observation .—This mare, previous to her first mishap, had be¬ 
come very much debilitated by attacks of severe strangles; and, in 
all the cases I have seen, they have been preceded or accompanied 
