A. LIAUTARD. 
260 
which lie said was probably “ due to a rupture of the flexor meta¬ 
tarsi muscle or its tendon, and most likely to the latter. In this 
case, besides the characteristic motion, “there was soieness in 
front about six inches above the hock, and also a little highei up, 
and the usual tenseness and distinctness of the tendon could not 
be seen. There was no apparent pain of any importance. The 
second case was after three weeks of treatment pronounced incur¬ 
able. 
Prof. Williams, in his work on surgery, under the heading of 
sub-cutaneous laceration of the flexor metatarsi muscle, lepoits 
the history of a case in an old horse which presented the same 
symptoms, and which on account of his age was destroyed. At 
the post mortem, writes Prof. Williams, “ it was discovered that 
the flexor metatarsi was lacerated across its whole thickness, its 
fibres were pale and when examined under the microscope their 
transverse striae were nearly, and, in some places, entirely absent, 
showing that the sarcous elements were undergoing degenera¬ 
tion ” 
Gourd on, in his Chirurgie Veterinaire, says, “ that the ten¬ 
dinous cord of this muscle may give way after violent efforts.” 
* * * and again, “ this affection gets well spontaneously in the 
majority of cases;” but few observations of the seat of the rupture 
have been made. Bouley jeune has seen it at a point corresponding 
to the middle portion of the tibia, and Goubaux has found it at 
the point of attachment in the cavity of the femur. The treat¬ 
ment, he says, may vary from six weeks to two months. 
The May number of the Archives Veterinaries of this year 
contains an excellent resume of the statistics of the lesions of 
that muscle, showing that 21 cases due to the rupture of this 
flexor metatarsi are found on record. The causes are divided as 
follows : 
In two observations while the animal was secured in stocks to be 
shod. 
One after a fall while being shod and held in the usual manner. 
One during the same operation, and by the resistance only of 
the man holding the foot during the violent efforts of the 
horse to free himself. 
