2 LAMENESS. 



of lameness in one form or another ; a second, the ability lame 

 horses possess to perform work ; the third, the little heed people 

 in general take of lame horses — or rather, the little or nothing 

 they know about their animals' being lame, unless informed 

 thereof by their faithful (or faithless) servants. All this shews 

 the great importance of the subject we are about to engage in ; 

 and it is one, we may affirm without fear of contradiction, which 

 oftentimes in practice calls for all the sagacity and penetration the 

 veterinarian of experience even can summons to his assistance. 



The derivation of the word lame, on the authority of our best 

 lexicographers, is from the Anglo-Saxon word lam, weak ; or else 

 from the analogous German verb Icemen, to weaken. 



Definition. — Lameness is the manifestation in the act of 

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

 inability or impediment. 



Lameness is but a Symptom of Disease, not of itself dis- 

 ease. It is the expression either of pain or inability, the result of 

 disease, malformation, or accident, in the limb or limbs by which 

 it is manifested : it may, however, arise from disease in the trunk 

 of the animal, as is exemplified in injury or disease of the spine, in 

 cerebral and nervous disease ; and as has, on some rare occasions, 

 been instanced in the case of acute hepatitis. But lameness may 

 exist independently of disease : it may be caused by a stone 

 getting into the foot or by a tight shoe. And when it has ori- 

 ginated in disease it does not always quit the animal on the 

 cessation of that disease, but frequently continues after all dis- 

 ease — in an acute form at least — has passed away. Disease in a 

 limb, however, oftener exists without lameness than lameness 

 without disease : a horse may have a tumour, a wound, or an 

 ulcer in any of his limbs without evincing lameness ; or he may 

 have, and indeed commonly does have, a windgall, a splent, or 

 frush, without lameness ; nay, it is possible for him to have a 

 spavin or a curb, and still shew no lameness. The diseases and 

 accidents of which lameness is commonly a symptom or result 

 are, inflammation and ulceration of the joints, inflammation and 

 ossification of the periosteal and cartilago-ligamentous tissues, 

 sprain and inflammation of the ligaments and tendons, laceration 



