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of the stock breeder and piircnaser. To regard a liability to transmit 

 constitntional idiosyncrasies by. common propagation as a disease or a 

 diathesis would be obviously unphilosophical; but to recognize the 

 fact, in view of existing evidences, in connection with the affection 

 we are considering, is but to render its due to the claims (^f honest 

 conviction, and such a conviction we do not hesitate to own. That it 

 is an active tendency in respect to diseases generally it would be 

 absurd to claim. But we do claim that a disposition to contract this 

 particular form of lesion may be transmitted from parent to offspring 

 though in most cases only with sufficient vigor to impress a predispo- 

 sition on the part of the latter. Yet in a smaller proportion of cases 

 it may, in point of fact, constitute a force sufficient to act as a sec- 

 ondary cause of developed disease, which may in due time become a 

 visible ringbone. 



The importance of this point when considered in reference to the 

 policy which should be observed in the selection of breeding stock is 

 obvious, and as the whole matter is within the control of the owners 

 and breeders it will be their OAvn fault if the unchecked transmission 

 of ringbones from one equine generation to another shall be allowed 

 to continue. It is our belief that among the diseases which are known 

 for their tendency to perpetuate and repeat themselves by individual 

 succession, those of the bony structures stand first, and the inference 

 from such a fact which would exclude every animal of doubtful sound- 

 ness m its osseous apparatus from the stud list and the brood farm is 

 too i)lain for argument. 



Periostitis of the phalanges is an ailment requiring careful explora- 

 tion and minute inspection for its discovery and is quite likely to 

 result in a ringbone of which lameness is the effect. The mode of its 

 manifestation varies according to the state of development of the 

 diseased growth as affected by the circumstances of its location and 

 dimensions. It is commonly of the kind which, in consequence of its 

 intermittent character, is termed lameness irhen cool, having the pecu- 

 liai^ty of exhibiting itself when the animal starts from the stable and 

 of diminishing if not entirely disappearing after some distance of 

 travel, to return to its original degree, if not indeed a severer one 

 when he has again cooled oflE in his stable. The size of the rino-bone 

 does not indicate the degree to which it cripples the patient, but the 

 position may, especially when it interferes with the free movement of 

 the tendons which pass behind and in front of the coronet YNHiile a 

 large rmgbone will often interfere but little with the motion of the 

 limb, a smaller growth, if situated under the tendon, may become the 

 cause of considerable and continued pain. 



A ringbone is doubtless a worse evil than a splint. Its growth its 

 location, Its tendency to increased development, its exposure to 'the 

 influence of causes of renewed danger, all tend to impart an unfavor- 

 able cast to the prognosis of a case and to emphasize the importance 



