20 SOUNDNESS. 



Other being cured, without the owner's losing 

 some of the horse's service. A mangy horse 

 cannot be used upon every occasion : his owner 

 cannot with decency ride him in the field, neither 

 can he harness him along with another horse 

 without the risk of infecting him likewise. More 

 might be said against this definition, and much 

 against some at present adopted by eminent 

 veterinarians : and, indeed, something may be 

 urged against every definition of unsoundness 

 that we can possibly frame. The only way of 

 proceeding, is to use that which a majority would 

 decide to be the most useful. Intercourse be- 

 tween experienced veterinarians has, till within 

 these few years, been exceedingly limited, and 

 hence advancement has not been so rapid as it 

 could be wished. But the establishment of a 

 useful periodical has done much, and will, by and 

 by, do more. In the mean time, I think it is 

 better, in defining unsoundness, to use disease, 

 and let that word express deviation from healthy 

 structure, or function, or both, of any part, or 

 the whole of the body. Hoping I have spoken 

 sufiiciently plain on this head to be understood 

 by non-professional men (for I wrote only for 

 them,) I shall now proceed to the 



