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sion of navicular disease. When an animal thus affected is to be sold at a 

 fair, he is commonly tied up closely to the manger, so that he cannot point 

 his feet, and thus the unwary are deceived ; for the lameness may not be 

 apparent in the cursory trot up and down the soft ground outside the stable. 

 The best way to detect this insidious malady, is to ride the animal six or 

 eight miles briskly, and then let him stand loosely tied. If affected with 

 navicular disease, he will then probably soon point one or both fore feet. 

 After resting a quarter of an hour, he should then be led out of the stable, 

 and trotted up and down on hard ground. The peculiar characteristic gait 

 will then in most instances become apparent. In these trials the animal 

 should carry a good fair weight. 



Horses affected with navicular disease generally stumble a great deal, 

 and thus not uncommonly break their knees ; but, when worked judiciously, 

 and not trotted fast on hard ground, they may work well for many years. 

 On soft ground, affected animals are benefited by regular work, and may be 

 used for hunting or other purposes. Indeed, it is not at all uncommon to 

 see a horse with navicular disease in the chase. When the disease becomes 

 confirmed, the lamenesss does not necessarily increase ; for the caries of the 

 bone and its cartilages may remain in a somewhat similar condition for 

 years. In most cases of navicular disease, the lameness is most pronounced 

 on first leaving the stable ; but it gradually disappears, perhaps entirely, 

 during exercise. 



The treatment of navicular disease will necessarily vary considerably 

 with the nature of the case. In those very acute cases which come on very 

 suddenly in the course of a week or so, it is advisable to give the animal five 

 or six drachms of aloes, and feed him for three days on warm water and 

 bran mashes. Poultices for a week or a fortnight will also prove very 

 useful. Internally one ounce of bicarbonate of potassium may be given 

 twice daily in the water for a week or more. Blistering the coronets with 

 ointment of biniodide of mercury, and the turning out the animal to grass 

 for six months will sometimes effect a cure. Bleeding from the coronets is 



