THE CULTIVATOR. 
337 
LAMENESS OF A HORSE—SPLINTS. 
Mr. James M. Tower of Waterville, asks for informa¬ 
tion relative to what are called splints in horses. We 
handed his letter to Dr. Wright, veterinary surgeon of 
this city, who has favored us with the following: 
Mr. Tucker —In answer to your correspondent, Mr. 
Mr. Tower, I would request him to examine the bones 
of the fore leg of a horse. He will there find, placed 
immediately behind the large metacarpal or shank bone, 
two smaller ones, which adhere to the shank bone by a 
cartilago-ligamentus substance. These two bones form 
a part of the knee joint, and give firmness, support and 
elasticity to the limb. This adhesive substance is liable 
to take inflammation from concussion or straining the 
part; it then becomes absorbed, and bony matter is thrown 
out between the bones, which will sometimes grow to 
the size of half a hen’s egg. These osseous tumors are 
called splints. In slight cases the treatment is simple— 
slight blisters, repeated, or the iodine ointment, mixed 
equal parts with Ung. Hydr.; or the Ung. Hydrarge, 2 
oz. with one drachm Hiodrate of Potass, rubbed on the 
part. The last operation for this disease is called sub¬ 
cutaneous periostiotomy, but is seldom necessary. 
Geo. Wright, M. R. V. C. 
We add the following from Youatt’s Treatise on the 
Horse: 
“ When the splint is forming, the horse is frequently 
lame. The periosteum or membrane covering the bone 
is painfully stretched; but when this membrane has ac¬ 
commodated itself to the tumor that extended it, the 
lameness subsides and altogether disappears, unless the 
splint be in a situation m which it interferes with the ac¬ 
tion of some tendon or ligament, or in the immediate 
neighborhood of a joint. Pressing upon a ligament or 
tendon, it may cause inflammation of those substances; 
or, being close to a joint, it may interfere with its ac¬ 
tion. Splints, then, do not necessarily cause unsound¬ 
ness, and may not lessen in the slightest degree the ac¬ 
tion or value of the horse. All depends on their situa¬ 
tion. 
“ The treatment of splints, if it be worth while to 
meddle with them, is exceedingly simple. The hair 
should be closely shaved off round the tumor; a little 
strong mercurial ointment rubbed in for two days; and 
this should be followed by an active blister. If the splint 
be of recent formation, it will usually yield to this, or 
to a second blister. Should it resist these applications, 
it can rarely be advisable to cauterize the part, unless 
the tumor interferes materially with the action of the 
suspensory ligament; for it not unfrequently happens, 
that, although the splint may have apparently resisted 
this treatment, it will afterwards, and at no great distance 
of time, begin rapidly to lessen, and quite disappear.” 
RENSSELAER INSTITUTE. 
We would call attention to the advertisement of the 
Rensselaer Institute, which will be found in this number. 
Perhaps no school in the country has enjoyed a more 
extensive or deserved reputation than this, for imparting 
a truly valuable course of instruction. Among those 
eminent citizens of this and other states, who have, with¬ 
in a few years, by the practical application of the prin¬ 
ciples of science, rendered important benefits to the coun¬ 
try, none have been more distinguished than several of 
the graduates of this institution. 
The following extract from an article writtenby a for¬ 
mer graduate of this school, and now well known 
and esteemed as a member of the geological corps 
of the state of New-York, shows the estimation in 
which this school is held by those who are com¬ 
petent to judge of its merits. Speaking of the ad- 
! vantages of the course of instruction here pursued, he 
says— 
“In regard to the success of the mode of instruction 
practiced in the Rensselaer school, the writer can speak 
from the experience of five years in that institution as 
pupil and teacher—believing it to be the most successful 
method of imparting instruction yet devised, and were 
the plan so extended as to bring within its scone all the 
subjects usually taught in our colleges and academies as 
well as the natural sciences and practical mathematics, I 
am confident that a student would acquire at least twice 
the amount of knowledge in the same time that he now 
usually devotes. The acquirement is not alone the ob¬ 
ject attained, for when he has obtained knowledge, he 
can make use of it, for he learns to impart knowledge at 
the same time that he is acquiring. 
“ The student is made at once a teacher; his recitation 
is never conducted by question and answer, but it consists 
of an extemporaneous dissertation or lecture, to the 
teacher present and his associate pupils. He has previ¬ 
ously studied the subject, with experiments, specimens, 
books, and the aid of his teacher; he has made it his own 
as it were, so far as time and means will permit, and in 
his lecture, he gives his own language to express his 
ideas and the amount of knowledge he has acquired. 
The pupil is thus led to feel an interest in the subject, 
and it at once acquires an importance in his view, which 
mere study and recitation can never give it. He feels 
his deficiencies when he is to instruct others, and he is 
ambitious to supply them.” 
Through the liberality of the Corporation and citizens 
of Troy in furnishing them with buildings and grounds, 
and of the family of the late Hon. Stephen Van Rensse¬ 
laer in endowing the Institute, the Trustees have been 
enabled, notwithstanding the practical, and for that rea¬ 
son more expensive, nature of the pursued studies, to re¬ 
duce the fees for tuition very considerably, thus render¬ 
ing the advantages of the Institute more easily avail 
able to all. 
RENSSELAER COUNTY FAIR. 
The exhibition of this society took place at Troy on 
the 2d and 3d days of October. The display of live 
stock was not, we think, considered equal to that of some 
former years. There were some good animals shown— 
particularly the Cattle of Mr. Vail—several of which, 
viz. “Meteor,” “Symmetry,” and “ Victoria,”received 
premiums at the State Fair at Poughkeepsie. There 
was also an imported Durham cow called “ Splendor,” 
said to be owned by Mrs. Sampson, of Brunswick. 
Though low in flesh, her form is generally good, and 
she is represented as a superior milker. Isaac Welch, 
Brunswick, offered a good grade heifer two years old, 
and there was a pair of very pretty native heifers (though 
they might be taken for half Devons) shown by Abm. 
Nash, Troy. Of oxen, several pairs were noticed, be¬ 
longing to Pliny Griswold, East Nassau, Roswell G. 
Pierce, and Joshua B. Mason, Stephentown. Of Sheep, 
there were some good-bodied, medium wooled Meri- 
noes, shown by Nathan Brownell—the ewes having 
yielded, as was slated by the owner, from 5 to 6 lbs. 
washed wool per head last season. Two bucks by B. 
Ketchum, Pittstown, sheared last season, the one five, 
the other eight pounds. The buck “ Consul,” purchased 
of Mr. Sanford, of Orwell, Vermont, by Mr. Martin 
Springer, was on the ground. A superior Saxon buck 
from the Grove stock, one year old, was shown by My¬ 
ron Rogers, of Hoosick—also a very superior Merino 
buck iamb, 5 months old, purchased of Mr. Blakeslee of 
Connecticut, by R. H. Streeter, of Berlin. Mr. Streeter 
had also a good Cots wold buck, which had 12 lbs. wool 
at last shearing, and a Lincolnshire buck, the latter pur¬ 
chased of Mr. Clift of Putnam county. There were five 
good ewes, apparently a cross of the Cotswold and South 
Down, presented by Wynant Younghans, Sand-Lake. 
Mr. Kip and Mr. Greene, of Pittstown, showed good 
Bakewell bucks. Of Swim, there were a few good 
Berkshire, and a white boar belonging to Edward Pearl, 
Troy. The show of manufactured articles was good, and 
highly creditable to the county. We noticed many good 
Agricultural and Horticultural Implements , from Messrs. 
Mowry & Vail, Troy; and among them several sizes of 
Langdon's plow cultivators. Of Household manufactures, 
there was a very good display. Of Fruits, there were 
fine specimens of apples, pears, and grapes, from Geo. 
Vail, Troy, and John Filkins, Lansingburgh. Very su¬ 
perior samples of White Sweet-water, and Winne grapes, 
were presented by Miss Sally Gale, Troy. The Address 
was by Hon. R D. Davis of Poughkeepsie. 
