18 SOUNDNESS. 



of acute and accurate ol)servation rendered of peculiar value to 

 us — felt inclined, to use his own words, " to steer a middle course;" 

 in accordance with which he '' ventured on the following propo- 

 sitions :" — '* 1st. That all recognised disease constitutes unsound- 

 ness /or the time being ^ " 2dly. That changes of structure or an 

 altered condition of parts, and derangement or impairment of func- 

 tion, are allowed by all to be our two great landmarks in conduct- 

 ing examinations for soundness." The first of these " propositions" 

 is fairly inclusible in the second ; all disease consisting either in 

 change of structure or change of function, and most disease involv- 

 ing both these changes. And in regard to the second rule for our 

 guidance, obvious and decisive as are changes of structure com- 

 bined with deranged or impaired function of parts in general, there 

 are still some of that trifling or uninfluential nature that can hardly, 

 when they do exist, be looked upon as unsoundness: such are chro- 

 nic or partial diseases of certain parts or organs, the obliteration of 

 a vein* or artery for example, the conversion of fibro-cartilage into 

 bone, as in splent, chronic or partial disease of such an organ as the 

 liver, &c. &c. 



Our present inquiry into the nature of soundness being restricted 

 to its relation to lameness, and it being our intention here to deal 

 with broad principles, leaving the nicer shades of distinction for 

 consideration until such time as we come to treat of particular lame- 

 nesses, we may safely say that — 



1. Every horse shewing lameness must be pronounced unsound. 

 Although the converse of this, as a fundamental principle, will by- 

 no means hold good ; every horse not shewing lameness not neces- 

 sarily being (considered as) a sound horse. For instance, a horse 

 shall have a spavin, or a curb, or a swollen back sinew, and still 

 evince no lameness, even though he may shew marks of having 

 been fired or blistered for the same, and so give us every reason 

 to believe that formerly he has experienced actual lameness from 

 one or other of these defects. Would, however, any veterinary 

 surgeon, under such circumstances, give a certificate oi soundness? 

 If he did, it must be qualified in a manner that would Httle induce 



* It has happened, however, that a horse has been returned after purchase 

 as " unsound" in consequence of a lost (jugular) vein. 



