Non-infective wounds which may cause open joint are not necessarily productive of an active carpitis--a synovitis may be the extent of the disturbance. Unlike synovitis, which may characterize a non-infectious penetrative wound of the capsular ligament, septic arthritis which may supervene is a very painful inflammatory disturbance. It is characterized by all of the symptoms which attend the case of open joint and synovitis plus the obvious manifestation of great pain. There is an elevation of temperature of from two to five degrees above normal; circulation is accelerated; the pulse is bounding; respiration is hurried; there is an expression of pain as indicated by the physiognomy; and because of rapid erosive changes of cartilages which take place, there is soon so much of the articulation destroyed that death is inevitable. Death is usually due to generalization of the arthritic infection. [Illustration: Fig. 14--Exostosis of carpus resultant from carpitis.] [Illustration: Fig. 15--Distal end of radius. Illustrating the effects of chronic carpitis.] In the meanwhile, if the character of the infectious material is not so virulent, the disease will take on a slower course and the subject may experience laminitis from supporting weight upon the sound member, or because of continued recumbency, decubital gangrene and emaciation sometimes cause death. If the subject does not soon succumb, it is compelled to undergo days or even weeks of unnecessary suffering, and too often in such cases, it is later deemed advisable to destroy the animal because of the cost of continuing treatment until the horse is serviceable. Therefore, it is evident that when such joints as the carpus or tarsus are open and infection exists, if they are not promptly treated and the infectious process checked, it is neither humane nor practical to prolong treatment. Distinction must be made between the different joints when infected as the condition is much more serious in some cases than in others. All things considered, perhaps open joints rank, with respect to being serious cases as follows: elbow, navicular, stifle, tarsus, carpus, fetlock and pastern. This, of course, is restricted to articulations of the locomotory apparatus.