Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-10-22
RiNGBONE.

RiNGBONE.
Its Nature. Exciting Causes and Prepsr
Treatment.
Ringbone is bony tumor-exostosia
Situated on or in the vicinity of the
pastern bone, frequently ending in
anchylosis of the pastern joint There
are three causes-hereditary, structural
and incidental The ringbone is usual
" occasioned by strain taken in cur
veting, bounding turns and violent gal
Looping or racing. Form, as well as
breed, is concerned in the production
of ringbone. A coarse or bali bred,
fleshy or bony-legged horse, with short
and upright pastecns, is the ordinary
subject of the disease; and there exist
satisfactory reasons why one should exc
poet him to be so. The pastern and
coffin bones constitute the he thermost
parts the pedcstals-of the columns of
bones composing the limbs; and, being
SO, they receive the entire weight and
force transmitted from above. The
pastern when long and oblique in po-
sitiOn receives the superintendent
weight in such an indirect line that,
bending toward the ground with the
fetlock, nothing like jar or conclusion
follows. The very reverse of this, how
ever, happens every time the foot of a
limb having short and upright pas
tern, comes to the ground. In it, in
stead of the weight descending oblique-
ly upon the sesamoids and the fetlock
bedding Herewith, it descends direct,
or nearly so, upon the pastern, making
this bone entirely dependent upon the
bone beneath 1.-THE coifin-fol coun-
teracting spring; and should Anything
occur to destroy or diminish this spring.
or to throw more weight, or sudden
weight, upon the coffin bone than it
can connteract, jar of the apparatus
ensues, and an effort of nature to
strengthen the parts by investing them
with callus and Ossification is likely to
be the ultimate result
The exciting causes of ringbone may
be said to consist in any acts or efforts
OF speed or strength productive of con-
cussion to the bones of the pastern.
Some have ascribed the presence of
ringbonc to blows Undoubtedly. q
blow upon bone would be very likely
to produce exostosis; but the pastern-
the hind pastern in particulars rather
an unlikely part to be struck. After
inf1ammat on from any cause. even
after that produced by a common bis
ter often, an enlargement of the pas
tern will be left, and. thou yh this is not
called ringbone. it may be regarded as
something very analogous to it.
Ringbone is but a species of exostosis
"a bony tumor-which in one situa-
ton constitutes ringbone, in another
splent, in another SPAWN; yet the three
diier as well in their origin as in their
effects. Ringbone has an external ORR
gin; and though it may, from spread
ing, interfere with the motion of joint,
still il does not produce any affection
of the synoyial membrane; SPAWN. on
the contrary, seldom confines itself to
the external or documentary tissues, but
affects the synovial membrane as well;
and splent originates IN the very joint
the acknowledgements it after
ward blocks up and grows from. Ring
bone is either documentary or peri
osteal affection, or both.
The old method of treating exostosis
by fire and blister is fast giving way to
more rational procedure. 1t has been
that there is not really any
cure for this malady more than there is
for SPAWN. If we can relieve the horse
from lameness. that is all that can be
but even then the disease is
not cured-an eyesore still remains,
and perhaps stiff joint. Treat the DIS
ease, when first discovered, just as you
would a recent splent or SPAWN, by
cooling, evaporating, cold water band
ages, etc. rest. too, so much disregard
ed by physicians, and not mentioned
by some veterinary authors, is of some
Human practitioners real
ize how much is gained by their pa
tents, when laboring under seases of
the joints, by strict attention to rest;
for by that means infiammatory action
is kept within bounds To control iu-
action, and by that means
lessen pain and irritation within or
around a joint, should be the first bust
ness; from this great benefit Will be de-
rived. Our business as physicians is to
follow in the footsteps of Nature
md observe by what means she repairs
injuries and performs her cures. We
shall find that her cure of SPAWN and
'plent consists of anchylosis, usually
Ill that she requires for it is rest. The
parts are hot and intlamed; cooling APP
Dlications are needed; now they are
cold and inactive, moisture and per-
laps stimulants are indicated, and so
IN to the end. In the case of hip dis
ease occurring in children-the natural
cure of which is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
,njo;n rest, which favors union of the
diseased bones. If such means favor
lnchylosis in the human subject, one
IAN not dispense with them when treat
ng the horse. In all cases, then, of
,arly disease of this character. whether
t be periosteal, bony, cartilaginous,
ibrous or muscular, cooling lotions,
light diet and rest are the
means most calculated to do good,
whether the intentions of Nature are
or not In chronic cases use
lcetate of cantharides. applied daily.
Until the parts appear hot and tender;
We then substitute cold water bandages,
md repeat the process if necessary
Western Sportsman.
Points for Ladies.