SOME CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
349 
SOME CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
We take pleasure in continuing the series of cases which 
Prof. Peuch published in the Journal of the Lyon School , and 
which are collected from his clinics. It may induce the mem¬ 
bers of the medical staff of our American veterinary colleges to 
follow his example.— [Editor.] 
Articular or Tendinous Lesions of the Hock. —Un¬ 
der this title we desire to speak of chronic synovitis, tibio- 
astragalian, or tarsal, known under the name of articular 
and tendinous thorough-pins. These lesions are frequent in 
horses, and it may be useful to expose the principal means of 
treatment that we use, so much so that we have obtained with 
them excellent results. These modes of treatment are the cau¬ 
terization with deep and penetrating points, or again puncture, 
followed by the injection of iodine, according as the case is a 
dropsy of the tibio-astragalian, articular, or one of the tendinous 
tarsal, synovial. 
First. Firing in Fine and Penetrating Points .—We always 
applied this mode of treatment when the articular thorough-pin 
produces lameness. We use a fine point about three-quarters 
to one inch long, according to the thickness and the induration 
of the walls. We introduce it, when heated to cherry-red, two 
or three times in each point, seldom more. And on thick- 
skinned horses, we immediately cover the cauterized region 
with a mixture, equal parts, of blister ointment and biniodide 
of mercury pomatum (to the quarter). We omit this applica¬ 
tion in warm weather. Thus applied, firing gives rise to an or¬ 
dinary synovial escape, in small quantity. There are at the 
surface of the points made by the cautery, little drops of syno¬ 
via. This escape lasts for the day following the operation, "but 
stops after one or two days. Should it last longer, it indicates 
that the cautery used was too thick, or that too many applica¬ 
tions have been made. In such cases suppurative arthritis oc¬ 
curs, which is generally fatal. But this dangerous complication 
can certainly be prevented by the use of fine cauteries. Our 
long experience justifies us in this assertion. We may also ob¬ 
serve that this mode of cauterization produces therapeutical ef¬ 
fects very satisfactory. Often a single application of this deep 
firing cures entirely horses lamed by indurated articular thor- 
°ugh-pin s , leaving afterwards but little cicatrices of the punc- 
