accident of a very serious nature; and since it is but very seldom cured, we must consider it very fortunate that its occurrence is rare among horses. It has not unfrequently been taken for a rupture of the flexor tendons, but the great strength of these latter organs does not readily admit of such a circumstance, consequently their rupture is even still rarer than the Suspensory Ligaments. If the tendons were thus affected, the animal could not bend its leg; and in the other case the fetlock-joint comes nearly to the ground instead of maintaining its oblique and natural position. After the inflammation is reduced, a heeled shoe is used by some, which elevates the heel and bends the toe downwards. Bandages cannot be well applied from the position of the disease. Firing is resorted to, and thus in time a little strength is obtained, and the animal may be used when great exertion is not required, for as the fetlock never wholly recovers its natural position, much of its mechanical power must consequently be lost.

LAMENESS IN THE SHOULDER,

Is by no means so frequent as some suppose, for it is a very general practice among farriers and others to attribute any lameness, of which there is no visible cause, and of which they cannot give any ostensible reason, to an affection of the shoulder; and from this many serious results often accrue to horses. The adductor muscles are frequently the seat of this disease when it arises from a slip or side wrench. Some assert it exists in the tendons of the flexor brachii; and sometimes the scapular and humeral ligaments of the articulations are affected. On the appearance of this

lameness, (which may be detected from its existence in the foot and other parts of the limb by the peculiar movement of the leg, and the method of resting the foot on the ground), first subdue the inflammation, and that if great, must be done by bleeding the platevein, and foment with camomile flowers three or four times a day. When the ligaments are affected, it has been deemed necessary to insert a rowel in the chest. When the inflammatory symptoms have been removed, a blister has effected much good in some cases. When the muscles appear stiff and affected, the application of a liquid blister, as

Cantharides

Oil of Turpentine

Sweet or Olive Oil

8 or 10 ounces,

2 quarts,

1 quart,

used twice a day; and when it brings on a fresh swelling and inflammation, allow it to subside, and then rub the parts affected a second time, and the probability is a cure will be the result. Farriers of the ol school, sometimes imagining that dislocation had taken place, used to turn the animal into the water to swim to effect a remedy. Great benefit will be derived from turning a horse to grass after the shoulder has been strained, as great fatigue and exercise will cause a relapse, and all sprains or strains require rest and

ease.

OVERREACH,

Is what some horses cannot avoid, and care should be taken to place the hinder shoes as far back as possible, as when the hind foot strikes the fore leg, the consequence is the disease just named. If the flexo tendons be struck and inflamed, as is not unlikely

K

be the case, refer to "Strains in the Back Sinews," and treat accordingly

WARBLES.

When the saddle or harness presses too heavily, tumours are formed, known under the name of Warbles, which may be soon removed by means of saturnine washes, as vinegar, &c. ; but when neglected, they will degenerate into what is termed SITFASTS; and these are so named from a callous skin not unlike leather in its appearance, being seated in the centre of the ulcer, and this cannot be abstracted without great pain; some farriers are rash enough to tear it away with pincers. The best method is to introduce a seton, or apply a blister, and if it is still obstinate, dissect it carefully, and let the wound be dressed with Turner's cerate.

GUN-SHOT WOUNDS.

THOUGH of rare occurrence, except in times of war and commotion, still seem to demand a place in a wor of this nature, which is intended for universal practitioners. Gibson says

"Gun-shot wounds can be considered in no other light than as contused wounds. In those made by a musket or a pistol-ball, the most immediate considera tions are to extract the ball, or any other extraneous body which may be lodged in the wounded part, and to stop the haemorrhage, if there be any effusion of blood from the rupture of any considerable artery.

It is frequently necessary to enlarge the wound, in order to extract the ball, and if it has gone quite through, (provided the situation of the part wounded will admit of its being done with safety,) the wound is to be laid open freely through the whole length of it, by which means any extraneous body will be more readily removed, and the cure facilitated. In order to get at the ball, or any other foreign matter, probing is to be used as sparingly as possible; and this must evidently appear necessary to any one who will only consider the nature of the symptoms attendant on penetrating wounds of the chest or belly, either from a bullet or a sharp instrument, the thrusting in a probe to parts under such circumstances being unavoidably a fresh stab on every repetition of such practice. If probing be necessary, the finger should be preferred as the best and truest probe, where it can be used; and where it can not, a bougie may answer the purpose. If a ball, or any other foreign body, happens to be lodged near the orifice, or can be perceived by the finger to lie under the skin, though at some distance from the mouth of the wound, we should cut down to it, and take it out; but when it is sunk deep, and lies beyond the reach of the finger, it must appear evident, upon the least reflection, that the thrusting first a long probe in search of the bullet, and then, as has been practised likewise, a larger pair of forceps, either with or without teeth, into a wound of that kind, though with a sort of certainty to extract it, must either contuse or irritate and inflame the parts to a greater degree, and, consequently, do as much or more mischief than the ball did at first, by forcing its passage such a length of way. And should the forceps at the same time lay hold of any considerable artery or nerve along with the ball, (which can scarcely fail to hap

pen), what injurious consequences must attend such proceedings! Nor would attempts of this sort be less injurious, in case a bullet should happen to be lodged in the cavity of the ball or chest. Such attempts are the less necessary because a great number of instances have occurred where balls have quietly lodged in several parts of the body, till, after many years, they have worked themselves a passage towards the surface, and were very easily extracted; and many, where balls have been entirely left behind without occasioning any inconvenience. In case the wound be occasioned by a musket or pistol-shot, and of course but small, it will be deemed necessary to dilate it, without delay, provided the nature of the part will admit of this with safety, for in wounds near a joint, or in very membraneous or tendinous parts, the knife, as well as the forceps, should be put under some restraint, nor should any more opening be made than what is absolutely necessary for the free discharge of the matter lodged within. Where the wounded animal has not suffered any great loss of blood, (and this is generally the case), it will be advisable to open a vein immediately, and take a considerable quantity, and to repeat bleeding on the second, or even the third day, should occasion require. The letting of blood in some of these cases is attended with great benefit, for it prevents a good deal of inflammation, and lessens any feverish attack, forwards digestion, and seldom fails to obviate imposthumations, and a long train of complicated symptoms which are apt otherwise to interrupt the cure, and often to endanger the life of the patient. Where the feverish symptoms run high, and even when there s almost a certainty that matter is forming, bleeding is very frequently of great advantage. If it so happen that a gun-shot wound has penetrated any of the large