306 DISEASES OF THE HOESE. 



without showing hesitancy or betraying pain, and when it is raised 

 from the ground in order to transfer the weight to its mate it will 

 perform the act in such manner that Avhen it is again placed upon 

 the ground to rest it will be with a firm tread, indicative of its ability 

 to receive again the burden to be thrown back upon it. In planting 

 it upon the ground or raising it again for the forward movement 

 while in action, and again replanting it upon the earth, each move- 

 ment will be the same for each leg and for each biped, whether the 

 act is that of walking or trotting, or even of galloping. In shoi-t, 

 the regular play of every part of the apparatus will testify to the 

 existence of that condition of orderl}' soundness and efficient activity 

 eloquently suggestive of the condition of vital integrity which is 

 simply but comprehensively expressed by the terms health and 

 soundness. 



But let some change, though slight and obscure, occur among the 

 elements of the case; some invisible agency of evil intrude among 

 the harmonizing processes going forward: any disorder occur in the 

 relations of cooperating parts: anything appear to neutralize the 

 efficiency of vitalizing forces: an}'' disabilitj' of a limb to accept and 

 to throw back upon its mate the portion of the weight which belongs 

 to it to sustain — present itself, whether as the effect of accident or 

 otherwise; in short, let anything develop which tends to defeat the 

 purpose of nature in organizing the locomotive apparatus and we 

 are confronted at once by that which may be looked upon as a cause 

 of lameness. , • 



Not the least of the facts which it is important to remember is that 

 it is not sufficient to look for the manifestation of an existing discord- 

 ance in the action of the affected limb alone, but that it is shared by 

 the sound one and must be searched for in that as well as the halting 

 member, if the hazard of an error is to be avoided. The mode of 

 action of the leg which is the seat of the lameness will varj'' greatl}' 

 from that which it exhibited when in a healthy condition, and the 

 sound leg will also offer important modifications in the same three 

 particulars before alluded to, to wit, that of resting on the ground, 

 that of its elevation and forward motion, and that of striking the 

 ground again when the full action of stepping is accomplished. 

 Inability in the lame leg to sustain weight will imply excessive exer- 

 tion by the sound one, and lack of facility' or disj)osition to rest the 

 lame member on the ground will necessitate a longer continuance of 

 that action on the sound side. Changes in the act of elevating the 

 leg, or of carrying it forward, or in both, will present entirely oppo- 

 site conditions between the two. The lame member will be elevated 

 rapidly, moved carefully forward, and returned to the ground with 

 caution and hesitancy, and the contact with the earth will be effected 

 as lightly as possible, while the sound limb will rest longer on the 



