33 G DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



or laceration of the tendon is never a primary condition, and 

 that the disease commences as an inflammation of tlie cancel- 

 lated structure of the navicular bone, or of the cartilage upon its 

 inferior surface. It was very hard for me to believe that a 

 theory which had so much to support it, and which I had advo- 

 cated ever since my student days, could be erroneous. I am 

 sure that all the students of my predecessor will remember how 

 enthusiastic he was while lecturing upon this subject, and how 

 he showed us specimen after specimen where the tendon was 

 lacerated and adherent to the bone. In order to establish the 

 correctness of this view, it was necessary to have provided a 

 specinien with the tendon diseased or lacerated, and the surface 

 of the bone in its natural, or at least in a slightly altered condi- 

 tion ; but this could not be done, and it was taken for granted 

 that the altered structure of the bone arose from the primary 

 lesion being in the tendon. 



As a mere speculation, the view that the primary condition 

 arose from laceration of the tendon could do no harm ; but as a 

 pathological fact, influencing men's minds upon the question of 

 the non-removal or even non-prevention of this lameness, it has 

 done infinite harm ; for it involved the supposition that navicular 

 joint lameness was almost incurable, and as such it is now looked 

 upon by the majority of the profession and the public. Even 

 when most enthusiastic in my views as to the correctness of Pro- 

 fessor Dick's theory, I was often startled by seeing many cases 

 of navicular disease, when attended to in the early stages, recover 

 after a short period of rest. 



Pathological examinations were made by Professor Dick to 

 an extent surpassed by none ; but he contented himself wnth 

 investigating the condition of the outside of the bone and tendon, 

 and if nothing was apparent there, the lameness was ascribed to 

 some other cause. 



If navicular disease were due to sprain and laceration of the 

 tendon, how is it that it so very rarely affects the hind feet ? ^ Is 

 it because the flexors of the hind extremities are more favourably 



^ I have in my possession one specimen, sent me by Mr. Clark, V.S., Coupar- 

 Angus, of acute inflammation, with incipient ulceration, of the navicular bone 

 of a hind foot ; but even in this case, although the symptoms of lameness were very 

 great and intractable, and were supposed by one veterinary surgeon to be due to 

 fracture of the pelvic bones, there is no appearance whatever of laceration of the 

 fibres of the tendon. 



