SHOULDER-SLIP. 259 



The spine is thus rendered prominent, standing out as a sharp 

 ridge from its surrounding structures. By standing in front of 

 the horse, if one shoukler only is affected, and by comparing the 

 two shoulders, the difference can at once be detected. If both 

 are diseased, this comparison will not be of any service, but it is 

 seldom that they are both alike ; in one, the antea spinatus, in 

 the other, the postea spinatus, is the more atrophied. This 

 atrophy is different from that wasting of the shoulders seen in 

 chronic foot lameness. In the one case, the muscles of the 

 external surface of the scapula only are wasted ; whilst in the 

 other, all the muscles of the shoulder and arm are in that 

 condition. 



Shoulder-slip is curable, provided the tendons of the muscles, 

 the rim of the glenoid cavity of the scapula, or the external 

 trochanter of the humerus, be not organically altered in struc- 

 ture. The alterations found in these are abrasion of the tendons, 

 ulceration of the cartilage covering the bones over which they 

 glide, and caries of the bones tliemselves. 



Treatment. — During the inflammatory stage, purgatives, fomen- 

 tations, removal of shoes, and rest. After the muscles are wasted, 

 repeated applications of moderate stimulating remedies, such as 

 mild blisters, and a long period of rest in a straw}'ard, or at grass. 

 When recovered, the patient should be put to other work than 

 ploughing. 



Some dealers have no objection to horses with wasted shoul- 

 ders if they go sound, as it is well known that they will perform 

 their work well enough if not put to the plough. Notwith- 

 standing this, I hold that it is an unsoundness in law, and that 

 it always depreciates the animal's value. I have seen m8,ny 

 young carriage-horses suffer from this form of unsoundness, 

 resulting from working in the plough; but I cannot recollect 

 one instance where they were rendered permanently unfit for 

 carriage work. 



This fact is important, if it become the universal law that un- 

 soundness means unfitness for work. I mention this because I 

 have heard lawyers argue and judges rule that such is the " law 

 of warranty." 



It might be supposed that the atrophy of the muscles of the 

 shoulder, which is so well marked in this form of lameness, only 

 became apparent after a considerable interval had elapsed subse- 



