152 NAVICULAItTHRITIS, 



journey, is walked home, probably has his shoe taken off by the 

 farrier, and his lame foot examined. Still, nothing is discovered 

 to account for the lameness ; neither is there any perceptible swel- 

 ling or heat about the leg. The horse not recovering his sound- 

 ness, some veterinary surgeon is called in, and the mystery be- 

 comes cleared up. Numerous instances might be adduced of this 

 occurrence: one will suffice here. 



A very sound fine-actioned horse, twelve years old, ridden by 

 one of the guards forming the escort on the occasion of the Queen 

 going to open Parliament in February 1839, suddenly fell limpingly 

 lame. His feet were, in appearance, of the healthiest description; 

 naturally rather oblong than circular, but particularly strong, sound, 

 and good. The shoe was taken off his lame foot on his return 

 home, but nothing was discovered ; and yet the lameness, from the 

 action, and the absence of all other apparent cause for it, was sup- 

 posed to have its origin in the foot. The shoe was left off, and the 

 foot immersed in a cold poultice, and a dose of physic was given. 

 In a week, on the shoe being re-nailed on, the horse proved sound, 

 and was returned to his work. A month had not passed before 

 he was brought back, lame again in the same foot. And as the 

 symptoms of navicularthritis had now unequivocally manifested 

 themselves, he was subjected to the usual course of treatment for 

 such disease. 



Nothing is more common than for certain descriptions of military 

 horses, while engaged in charges and other rapid movements upon 

 hard and unequal ground, to fall lame in this manner; and parti- 

 cularly for such horses to do so as have failed from navicularthri- 

 tic diseases on occasions before. And, in private practice, Mr. 

 Spooner, V. S., Southampton, has recorded (in vol. vi, p. 40-41 of 

 The Veterinarian) some cases of the same kind well worthy 

 perusal. There is also a case, excellently in point, related by the 

 late Mr. Castley, in vol. ii, p. 493-4 of the same journal. 



In the ordinary way, however, the lameness arising from navi- 

 cularthritis is gradual in its development, insidious and stealthy 

 even. At the beginning the horse is imagined by the rider or 

 driver to go lame. While out he fancied his horse now and then 

 went gingerly, or dropped upon one foot ; and on his return home, 



