42 INJURY BY NEGLECT, 



ruin a horse, that might, if looked after and the part 

 seemingly affected carefully examined, save him an im- 

 mensity of pain, and his owner a good horse. A mag- 

 nificent bay of great style, fine carriage, and fast, came 

 to me in the most abject condition of poverty. He 

 could not even eat grass; when down, could not get 

 up without assistance; he had no apparent defect, and 

 yet was little better than a dead horse. Something be- 

 yond the common order of things was the matter ; but 

 what? Several days passed, things getting worse, when 

 the idea of making a thorough examination of his mouth 

 occurred to me : his non-ability to eat must have arisen 

 from some cause connected with the mouth. After much 

 search a pin was found imbedded to the head in the gum : 

 irritation and pain resulted ; he simply could not use his 

 nippers in consequence of the pain, and was dying of 

 starvation. The pin removed, a little lancing of the gums, 

 and in a short time he was enjoying his food. He im- 

 proved rapidly, and was in good condition for several 

 years whilst I owned him. 



If this is not a strong exemplification of the necessity 

 of examining for trifles, I know not one. 



3d. Another instance occurs to me to show the neces- 

 sity of examining a horse's mouth. Sometimes his grinders 

 become worn on the inner edge, and rough and sharp 

 on the outer, soring the inside of his cheek at every 

 attempt to feed. Consequently to masticate his food 

 properly is almost an impossibility, as it is attended with 

 pain at every attempt. A very fine mare, and tremend- 

 ously fast, owned by a friend, was going back in her con- 

 dition so fast that he became alarmed ; he never thought, 

 however, to examine her mouth until she was nearly 

 starved. Coming to me, with my past experience the 

 first thing was to look closely into her mouth, and there 



