72 



or back bone, either by casting the horse to 

 perform any surgical operation, or by turning 

 suddenly in a narrow stall, or by resisting the 

 pressure of a loaded carriage down hill, or from 

 disease in the kidnies, or perhaps from chronic 

 rheumatism. The external appearances are a 

 stiiFness in the back, a reeling motion when 

 going forwards, particu/arli/ in a circle, and 

 little or no flexion in the hind quarters. The 

 muscles of the loins, also, are generall}- shrunk 

 or wasted. This wasting* in the muscles of the 

 loins is not the disease itself, but an effect of 

 it, arising from a want of their regular action. 



Inflammation and lameness in both hock 

 joints at the same period, by producing nearly 

 the same defect in the manner of going, is 

 sometimes mistaken for lameness in the loins. 



The disease is seldom cured, especially if 

 any injury has been done to the back bone, in 

 which case a preternatural enlargement and 

 anchylosis takes place, uniting three or four of 

 the joints of the back into one solid mass. 



A horse labouring under this disease becomes 

 almost totally useless; there can be no diffi- 

 culty, therefore, in pronouncing him to be un- 

 sound. 



