FILARIOSIS OF THE SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT. 
265 
which was diseased. The perforans was only once affected 
with its congener. 
We can therefore properly say that the parasitic alteration 
of the suspensory ligament promotes sprains of the tendons, and 
specially that of the perforatus. 
Our statistics show also that out of our 43 subjects, 12 had 
hypertrophied carpal or tarsal sheaths. In those 12 the tendons 
zvere absolutely sound , while the ligaments were extensively dis¬ 
eased. 
The sequelae of the functional deficiency of the suspensory 
ligament is also certainly felt upon the fetlock ; but here again, 
more than anywhere else, it is difficult to define them exactly. 
It is about impossible to make a right distinction between what 
is due to conformation, excess of work, accidents, etc., and what 
belong to insufficiency in the means of support. 
* 
* * 
TREATMENT. 
Having thus considered the pathological facts that belong to 
filariosis of the suspensory ligament, let us see if an efficacious 
treatment can be applied against it. 
Unfortunately the answer must be negative. There is no 
practical treatment known at present against ligamentous 
filariosis. Surgical removal of the parasitic nodules has already 
been done, when in the connective tissue of the leg. It might 
be when the deposits are on the ligament itself. These opera¬ 
tions are useless, as the growths are caused to disappear by re¬ 
sorption and are not likely to give rise to lameness or impede 
the action. 
The principal indication is to be cautious and watchful every 
time one will be in the presence of certain tendinous lesions. 
When it will be principally swellings of the carpal sheath and 
of the suspensory ligament existing together, it will be neces¬ 
sary to take into consideration the character, acute or not, of 
those lesions, and take in careful consideration the history of 
the cases as far as the possibility of traumatism is concerned, 
and when those will be wanted, if the swelling is quite exten- 
