74C 
C. C. LYFORD. 
RADICAL OPERATION FOR BURSAL ENLARGEMENTS. 
By C. C. Lyeord, B. S., M. D., D. V. S., Minneapolis, Minn. 
Accident, with Nature as an assistant, is often a forerunner 
of both medical and surgical science and success. 
Few veterinarians who have been in practice for a quarter 
of a century have not had opportunities of seeing lameness and 
bursal enlargements cured or improved as a result of direct 
injury. In the horse the fetlocks are especially subjected to 
wounds and bruises during'runaways and kicking fracases, and 
in many cases of this kind I have noticed beneficial results. 
Bursal enlargements have been long considered dangerous 
ground for surgical interference, especially so with young prac¬ 
titioners, who have an idea that the veterinarian is the whole 
thing, and Nature his enemy ; but sooner or later he" will learn 
that Nature is his best friend, and to consult her oftener, and 
his fellow-practitioner and books more seldom, would prove ben¬ 
eficial, not only to himself and his patient, but to the owner of 
the animal. 
In considering the treatment of cases I shall take them up> 
not as any particular class, but as they appear in my practice 
during the past sixteen years. 
No. i, June, 1885. A brother of Billy Dayton, 2-27*4 was 
sent me for treatment, he being a confirmed cripple from dis¬ 
tension and enlargement of the bursae of fetlocks on both front 
legs. I at once aspirated and injected tincture of iodine. This 
was followed with cooling lotions and bandages for two weeks. 
Then three successive blisters were applied at intervals of ten 
days. The swelling by this time had entirely disappeared, and 
the horse jogged apparently as well as ever ; so was returned 
to his owner, Mr. Dayton, who lived in Wisconsin. For the 
next two months he was driven on the road preparatory to some 
fast work that he received in September and October. In No¬ 
vember he was returned to me with bursae as large and patient 
as lame as ever. I then decided upon opening parts above fet¬ 
lock of both front legs, injecting U.S.P. tincture of iodine, fob 
