236 LAMENESS. 



account of the pain, having trod unevenly, prevented the equal 

 distribution of his weight, and caused the fracture. The Pro- 

 fessor had the foot attended to, as well as the fracture, and the 

 patient made a good recovery. Now, had he been satisfied, as 

 the majority of men would have been, that the fracture was the 

 only cause, the purulent matter confined in the foot would have 

 forced its way out at the coronet, a high degree of fever would 

 have been excited, the case much complicated, and the Professor 

 accused of mal-treatment. 



After duly examining the foot, and being satisfied that the 

 lameness is not there, the practitioner must endeavour to find 

 out where it is ; but before considering the various lamenesses 

 in detail, we must refer to the definition of the word and the 

 variety of its causes. 



The word lame, according to Percivall, is from the Anglo- 

 Saxon lam, weak; the terms lame and weak are synonymous 

 in some parts of England ; thus it is a common expression 

 to hear, " that is a lame story," for a weak story ; or a " lame 

 sermon," for a poor, weak sermon ; and more commonly, a " lame 

 excuse." 



The same writer defines it to be — " The manifestation in the 

 act of progression, by one or more of the limbs, of pain, weakness, 

 inability, or impediment." 



This definition is very near the mark, but I think it would 

 read better as follows : — A manifestation by one or more of the 

 limbs, of pain, weakness, inability, or impediment; the act of 

 progression not being necessary to the manifestation of such. 

 Percivall, however, must always be looked upon as a great 

 authority, as he seems to have been a practical man in most 

 matters, as well as an elegant writer. 



Lameness is not of itself a disease, but a sign of it. It is the 

 expression of pain or inability, the result of disease, accident, or 

 malformation in the limb or limbs by which it is manifested. 

 It may, however, arise from disease apart from the limbs, as from 

 injury to or diseases of the spinal cord or nerves, from cerebral 

 disease, and occasionally disease of the liver. It may exist for 

 a short time independent of disease — a mere expression of pain 

 without disease, as from a stone in the foot, or a badly-fitting 

 shoe ; but if these causes of pain exist for any length of time, 

 indammation is sure to follow. Disease much oftener exists 



