SHOULDEIl LAMENESS. 383 



on a sudden falls limpingly lame; and the lameness from his gait and 

 manner of using (as well as he can) the injured limb is clearly in 

 his shoulder. The suddenness of the 'lameness, and the excess of 

 lameness all at once, is proof pretty convincing that " sprain" is 

 not the occasion of it : at least, not unless we are to include under 

 that vaguely-defined and too comprehensive term all actual solu- 

 tion of continuity of parts, of whatever nature it may be. Of such 

 an accident it is considered by some that the wasting of the muscles 

 of the shoulder is a sufficient demonstration. Ruptured parts, how- 

 ever, involving rupture of bloodvessels, .are apt rather to swell from 

 extravasation of blood than to fall away ; indeed, this latter can be 

 but an after-effect, one consequent upon and not concurrent with 

 the lesion. I do not remember, myself, ever to have been led by 

 any visible defalcation of substance or other outward sign to place 

 my hand upon the spot where the lesion was. In a word, I know 

 of no more direct testimony of its presence than the inferences we, 

 through analogy of what happens in man, and sometimes, though 

 rarely, in other parts of the body in horses, are able to draw in our 

 own minds with, it would seem, a sufficiently fair shew of reason. 



SOLLEYSEL, whose observations in reference to this part of 

 our subject are far from despicable in the nineteenth century even, 

 says — " Tis hard to discover where the lameness lies, if you did 

 not see him (the horse) get it, and if the horse does not cast his leg 

 outward, or make a circle with it, instead of advancing it straight 

 forward; for that is an infallible sign that the grief is in the 

 shoulder." — And again ; '' But if the horse be lame, and yet free 

 of the above-mentioned infirmity in his gate (gait), turn him short 

 on the lame side and observe carefully how he treads; for if the 

 grief be in his shoulder, he will set his foot on the ground hardily 

 (firmly), and endeavour to favour his shoulder. If you cannot dis- 

 cover the part affected in this way, take hold of the fore leg and 

 make him go backwards and forwards, that you may perceive how 

 he moves his shoulder, and whether he does not complain and 

 shrink when you put him on these motions." — *' If the lameness 

 be in the shoulder the horse will halt least while he is heated with 

 riding ; but if in the foot he will halt most when he is ridden." 



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