Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-03-02
Splint, Ringbone and SPAWN.

Prof Cressys lecture before the Caledo-
mia county farmers meeting at st. Johns
bury, Friday, the 23d ult., was one of such
clearness and excellence that we reproduce
as well as we can that portion Of it which
pertained to some diseases of horses, but
more especially those mentioned at the head
of this article. Splint was the first disease
mentioned.
Beginning at the knee of the foreleg of
horse there is bone running down to the
fetlock known as the shank or cannon bone.
From the top or knee end of this cannon
bone, and on the back side of it, there run
two long, small bones, tapering to a point
half or two-thirds of the way down to the
fetlock or upper pastern joint. These two
splnt bones, so called because they look SO
much like splinters, lie close down upon the
cannon bone. If the horse gets blow on
these bones anywhere between the knee and
fetlock by jumping ever logs or fences or in
any other way it causes Inflammation and
unless allayed very soon small deposit of
bony substance on the splint and cannon
bones will be formed, and while it is being
formed it will cause more or less lamen ess,
and show itself through the skin in small
bunch, often in shape like half of a large
bean. Splints sometimes disappear in time
by the process of absorption, just as the pith
of the horn of an animal is absorbed and
finally left hollow, the "powder horn," as it
is Familiarity called. of all old cattle.
Ringbone in its general substance and
features is very like splint; indeed, splnt,
riDgbone and SPAWN all beeng to one type
Of disease, surplus deposit or growth Of
bony matter on the outside of the bones Of
the horses limbs, and in most cases about
the lower joints near the feet, and it is tech
nicaly known as eE OstOsiS. In order to To-
cate it, unless you know already, run your
hand from the fetlock or upper pastern joint
down just above the top of the hoof and you
find another, known as the lower pastern
joint From this joint a short bone, the
lower pastern, some inch and half long
runs down into the foot, resting on the con-
cave bottom bone of the foot, or as it is
more generally called the pedal bone. TIE
joint formed by the union of the lower pas
tern and coffin bones is the cofin joint, but
it is 50 low down as not to be easily found
without dissecting the foot. Ringbone forms
about the lower pastern joint, that is, thC
first joint below the fetlock aud just abov'
the top Of the hoof From the specimen
which Prof Cressy exhibited the ringbout
seemed to be bony substance, porous lik,
coral, and covering the joint all up, half a
thick as will spread out above and below the
joint; in fact it looked like piece of bon,
sponge wrapped like a plaster about tn
joint, so that there was no possible motioI
in the joint OF course it causes soreness
and lameness while coming on at least
Sometimes this bony substance forms jus
above or below the joint without rendering
stiff and useless indeed the professor exht
tied specimen of such a formation on tn
inside of the knee. They are caused b
bruises or sprains, one very prevalent caus
is in jumping or running about pastures an
especially going too fast down hill, or stOT
ping on their feet in deep snow or at wOr
at plOwing etc. Inflammation sets in, a SUI
plus of blood gathers about the parts an
soon the deposit is begun.
SPAWN is similar fungoid bOny growt
about the knee or hook joint of the hind lei
There is also blood spawn, the same o
the horse as variocose veins, which by rul