DISEASES, DEFECTS, ETC. 95 



performed may be improved, may cease to be lame, may 

 go well for many years ; but there is no certainty of his 

 continuing to do so, and he is Unsound {y). 



This was decided in the following case, soon after Held to be 

 Neurotomy had been first introduced by Veterinary Sur- Unsound, 

 geons. An action was brought on the warranty of a 

 Horse which had been Nerved. Several eminent Farriers 

 were called, who stated that the operation of Nerving 

 consisted in the division of a nerve leading from the foot 

 up the leg ; that it was usually performed in order to re- 

 lieve the Horse from the pain arising from a disease in 

 the foot, the nerve cut being the vehicle of sensation from 

 the foot ; that the disease in the foot would not be affected 

 by the operation, and would go on increasing or not, ac- 

 cording to its character ; that Horses previously lame 

 from the pain of such a disease would, when Nerved, fre- 

 quently go free from lameness, and continue so for years ; 

 that the operation had been found successful in cavalry 

 regiments, and Horses so operated on had been for years 

 employed in active service ; but that in their opinion a 

 Horse that had been Nerved, whether by accident or de- 

 sign, was Unsound, and could not be safely trusted for any 

 severe work, and that it was an organic defect {z). 



It appeared that the Horse in question had not ex- 

 hibited any lameness. But Chief Justice Best told the 

 Jury, " that it was difficult to say that a Horse in which 

 there was an organic defect could be considered sound ; 

 that Sound meant Perfect, and a Horse deprived of an 

 useful nerve was imperfect, and had not that capacity of 

 service which is stipulated for in a warranty." And the 

 Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff {a) . 



The most frequent disease of the Nose is an increased Nose, Chronic 

 and thickened discharge from it. It may properly be <iischarge. 

 called a Nasal gleet. There is a continued and often a 

 profuse discharge of the fluid secreted to lubricate the 

 membrane lining the Nose, when every symptom of Catarrh 

 and fever has passed away, and an almost incredible 

 quantity of thickened mucus, of different colours ; green, 

 if the Horse is at grass ; or, if he be stabled, white, straw- 

 coloured, brown, or even bloody, and sometimes evidently 

 mingled with matter or pus ; and either constantly running, 

 or snorted out in masses many times in the day, often 



[y) Lib. U. K. "The Horse," (2) Besty. Osborne, R. & M. 290. 



364. («) Ibid. 



