er still, the firing iron, should follow on the
discontinuance of the cold bandages.

But in many instances no treatment will arrest the growth of these bony
tumors, and as a palliative measure neurotomy must be resorted to.
Generally this operation will so relieve the pain of locomotion that the
patient may be used for slow work; but in animals used for fast driving
or for saddle purposes, the operation is practically useless. Some years
ago at Fort Leavenworth I unnerved a number of cavalry horses that were
suffering from sidebones, and the records show that in less than seven
months all were more lame than ever. Since a predisposition to develop
sidebones may be inherited, animals suffering from this disease should
not be used for breeding purposes unless the trouble is known to have
originated from an accident.

RINGBONE.

A ringbone is the growth of a bony tumor on the ankle. This tumor is, in
fact, not the disease, but simply the result of an inflammatory action
set up in the periosteum and bone tissue proper of the pastern bones.
(Plate XXXIV, fig. 1.) (See also p. 313.)

_Causes._--Injuries, such as blows, sprains, overwork in young,
undeveloped animals, fast work on hard roads, jumping, etc., are among
the principal exciting causes of ringbone. Horses most disposed to this
disease are those with short, upright pasterns, for the reason that the
shock of locomotion is but imperfectly dissipated in the fore legs of
these animals. Improper shoeing, such as the use of high calks, a too
great shortening of the toe and correspondingly high heels, predispose
to this disease by increasing the concussion to the feet.

_Symptoms._--The first symptom of an actively developed ringbone is the
appearance of a lameness more or less acute. If the bony tumor forms on
the side or upper parts of the large pastern, its growth is generally
unattended with acute inflammatory action, and consequently produces no
lameness or evident fever. These are called "false" ringbones. But when
the tumors form on the whole circumference of the ankle, or simply in
front under the extensor tendon, or behind under the flexor tendons, or
if they involve the joints between the two pastern bones, or between the
small pastern and the coffin bone, the lameness is always severe. These
constitute the true ringbone. Besides lameness, the ankle of the
affected limb presents more or less heat, and in many instances a rather
firm, though limited, swelli