646 YORKSHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
While this severe suffering existed I used an injection of muriate 
of morphia three times a day, which proved extremely valuable, never 
failing to afford temporary relief. When not under the influence 
of the sedative she would place her head in the manger, and 
resting it there by an hour at a time, would groan aloud, and occa¬ 
sionally raise her mutilated limb, although the act evidently was accom¬ 
panied with severe torture. 
It was not until the expiration of six weeks that the severe constitu¬ 
tional symptoms had subsided, but the discharge from the joint had be¬ 
come so offensive that it was evident that internal caries and necrosis were 
£oin£ on. Under these circumstances I recommended that the mare should 
be destroyed, the case being quite hopeless. The firm, however, 
determined on further treatment, regardless of the advice tendered, 
being doubtless influenced by the fact that I had attended the stud, 
which was a large one, for some years on contract, and therefore the treat¬ 
ment of this case involved no extra expense to them on the score of 
surgical treatment. 
The mare was kept on hand for twelve months, during the first six of 
which the wound continually discharged large quantities of glairy fetid 
lymph. By the end of the seventh month the external opening was 
completely closed, and although an open joint no longer existed, yet a 
low form of inflammation persisted in the interior of it. Slings were 
continually used up to the end of the eighth month, when their use was 
dispensed with, but only by day. 
At the end of the tenth month, although still very lame, she was 
turned into a field close by ter graze; but she experienced so much 
difficulty in walking that she began to lose flesh, and when she laid 
down could not rise without assistance. 
The affected joint had now lost all mobility, and as the lameness was 
on the increase the owners ordered, at the end of twelve months, her 
destruction. 
Description.— -Mr. Howard said, I have here a beautiful specimen (or 
rather an appalling one) of acute inflammation of bone. The compact 
tissues of the epiphyses of the great metacarpal and os suffraginis, you 
will observe, have thrown out numerous coral-like projections, which 
completely envelope the joint, producing anchylosis. The inner condyle 
and central ridge of the metacarpal are marked with porcellanous deposit, 
while the corresponding articulatory surfaces of the os suffraginis are 
almost covered with the same pathological product. 
Again, the external condyle of the metacarpal, and the subjacent 
socket of the os suffraginis appear to have suffered most from destruc¬ 
tion of their articulatory cartilages, the compact tissue being com¬ 
pletely removed by carious ulceration, which had been insidiously making 
its way into the cancellated structures of both bones. You will observe 
also that both the sessamoids are involved in the anchylosis. 
I have introduced this case as a good illustration of the pathology of 
open joint, for it is very rare indeed that one of the kind is per¬ 
mitted to run uninterruptedly through all the phases of disease for a 
period of twelve months, and that in direct opposition to the expressed 
opinion of the surgeon in attendance. However, the case owed its 
existence for such a length of time to its being one of a contract, 
which did not at all sensibly increase the annual outlay for professional 
attendance. 
