DISEASES, DEFECTS, ETC. 77 



Attaclied to the extremities of most of the tendons, and Blood and 

 between the tendons and other parts, are little bags con- Bog-spavin, 

 taining a mucous substance to lubricate the tendons so as 

 to prevent friction. From violent exertion these little 

 bags are liable to enlargement, of which Wind-galls (/;) 

 and Thoroughpins (c) are instances. There is one of these 

 bags inside the bending of the hock ; this sometimes 

 becomes considerably increased in size, and the enlarge- 

 ment is called a Bog-spavin. When the vein, which passes 

 over this bag, is distended with accumulated blood, it is 

 called a Blood-spavin, and is therefore the consequence of 

 Bog-spavin, with which it is very often confounded (d) ; 

 they generally produce lameness, and constitute Un- 

 soundness. 



Bone-spavin is an affection of the bones of the hock Bone-spavin, 

 joint. When an undue weight and concussion are thrown 

 on the inner splint bone, they cause an inflammation of 

 the cartilaginous substance, which unites it to the shank 

 bone ; the consequence of which is, that the cartilage is 

 absorbed and bone deposited, so that the union between 

 the splint-bone and shank becomes bong instead of carti- 

 laginous, and the degree of elastic action between them is 

 destroyed. A Splint in the form of a tumour appears 

 in the inside of the hind-leg, in front of the union of 

 the head of the splint-bone with the shank, and is called 

 a Bone-spavin. It almost invariably produces lameness, 

 and the enlargement rapidly spreads with quick and hard 

 work {c), so as to interfere with the flexion of the hock. 



Bone-spavin, whether it produce lameness apparent at the Held to be an 

 time of sale or not, is an Unsoundness ; and the following unsoundness, 

 veterinary evidence was given in a case which was tried. 



Mr. Nice, a Veterinary Surgeon, stated for the plaintiff, 

 that eleven days after sale he had seen the Horse, which 

 then had a confirmed Bone-spavin, and that in his opinion 

 it was not a curable disease. Mr. Sewell, of the Yeterinary 

 College, had examined him about a month after sale, and 

 said that at that time he had a confirmed Bone-spavin, 

 which could not have occurred subsequent to the time of 

 sale. 



For the defendant, Mr. Child, a Veterinary Surgeon, 

 was called, who said that there was a bony deposit in the 

 interior of the hock, but that it did not interfere with its 



{b) Wind-galls, post. 119. 



(c) Thoroughpins, post. {e) Lib. U. K. "The Horse," 



('/) Lib. U. K. "The Horse," 270, 3G5. 



