AS TO SOUNDNESS. 29 



believe it to be caused by prolonged over-exertion of 

 the muscles of the shoulder, so that the sarcous elements 

 are so worn out and enervated that they are incapable 

 of reproducing themselves in their integrity, and some 

 degree of degeneration results. However, we know that 

 wasting of the parts is a common disease, and often 

 incurable, so far as I have observed ; and it has, and 

 this is most important to us now, degrees of intensity — 

 from an almost imperceptible diminution, to the most 

 bony, wasted flatness, where the outline of the scapula 

 is nearly as well seen as in the skeleton itself. In the 

 more confirmed cases, a horse would more probably be 

 brought to you for treatment than examination as to 

 soundness ; so that we have rather to do now with the 

 slighter cases. When a shoulder is well nourished, the 

 muscles on each side of the ridge so fill their respective 

 fossae, that little besides the asperity on the spine of the 

 scapula for the insertion of the trapezius, is seen ; and 

 both your hands laid flat on the shoulder at the same 

 time, meet from these muscles a firm elastic resistance 

 on pressure, and do not come in contact with the spine 

 of the scapula except at the point I have mentioned. 

 Then, again, the surface of these muscles, from before 

 backwards, is rather convex; indeed, very convex in 

 such as are of good healthy tone. You fail to find the 

 firm, elastic resistance and the convexity in such as are 

 diseased to any great extent. I rely more on these signs 

 than on a comparison of one shoulder with its fellow, 

 which we can eftect by standing in front of the horse 



