308 DISEASES OF THE HOESE. 



of course, producing reversed effects. In other words, ^vlien the ani- 

 mal in trotting exhibits signs of irregrJarity of action, or himeness, 

 and this irregularity is accompanied with dropping or nodding the 

 head, or depressing the hip on the right side of the bodj^, at the time 

 the feet of the right side strike the ground, the horse is lame on the 

 left side. If the dropping and nodding are on the near side the lame- 

 ness is on the off side. 



In a majority of cases, however, the answer to the first question re- 

 lating to the lameness of a horse is, after all, not a very difficult task. 

 There are two other problems in the case more difficult of solution 

 and which often require the exercise of a closer scrutiny, and draw 

 upon all the resources of the experienced practitioner to settle satis- 

 factorily. That a horse is lame in a given leg may be easily deter- 

 mined, but when it becomes necessary to pronounce upon the query as 

 to what part, Avhat region, what structure is affected, the easy part 

 of the task is over, and the more difficult and important, because more 

 obscure, portion of the investigation has commenced — except, of 

 course, in cases of which the features are too distinctly evident to the 

 senses to admit of error. It is true th{it by carefully noting the 

 manner in which a lame leg is performing its functions, and closely 

 scrutinizing the motions of the whole extremity, and especially of 

 the various joints which enter into its structure; by minutely ex- 

 amining every part of the limb; by observing the outlines; by testing 

 the change, if any, in temperature and the state of the sensibility — 

 all these investigations may guide the surgeon to a correct locali- 

 zation of the seat of trouble, but he must carefully refrain from the 

 adoption of a hasty conclusion, and, above all, assure himself that 

 he has not failed to make the foot, of all the organs of the horse 

 the most liable to injury and lesion, the subject of the most thorough 

 and minute examination of all the parts which compose the suffering 

 extremity. 



The greater liability of the foot than of any other part of the 

 extremities to injuiy from casualties, natural to its situation and use, 

 should always suggest the beginning of an inquiry, especially in an 

 obscure case of lameness at that point. Indeed the lameness may 

 have an apparent location elscAvhere when that is the true seat of the 

 trouble, and the surgeon who, Avhile examining his lame patient, 

 discovers a ringbone, and convincing himself that he has encoun- 

 tered the cause of the disordered action suspends his investigation 

 without subjecting the foot to a close scrutiny, at a later day when 

 regrets will avail nothing, may deeply regret his neglect and inad- 

 vertence. As in human pathological experience, however, there are 

 instances when inscrutable diseases will deliver their fatal messages, 

 Avhile leaving no mark and making no sign by which they might be 

 identified and classified., so it will happen that in the humbler ani- 



