AS TO SOl/iVDAESS. 131 



LECTURE XVI. 



Spavin (continued) — Bog-spavin — How the tenn Blood-spavin arose 

 — Thoropin — Curb — " Sprung Hock" — " Occult Spavin." 



Gentlemen, — I cannot leave the subject of spavin 

 without adding a few more words. You will often be 

 called upon to pronounce an opinion as to the presence 

 or absence of spavin, in which case it does not follow 

 that the enlargement should be of a trifling character, 

 and that a doubt should exist as to the presence of any 

 enlargement ; for strange as it may appear, the less the 

 spavin the more certain can you be that it is a spavin 

 and not merely a hypertrophy. In cases where the 

 enlargement is of some considerable size, and in which 

 the enlargement is well rounded and extends as far 

 forward as a typical spavin, but also extends well back, 

 or in other words seems to involve both cuneiform 

 bones, should there be an absence of lameness or stiff 

 ness, it is impossible for any one to say " this is a case 

 of spavin ; it is not a case of hypertrophy of the bones 

 involved in spavin." It would be to the last degree 

 unscientific to pronounce such a case spavin, although 



