ON SOUNDNESS. 11 



nary duties of an ordinary horse, and yet cannot be called 

 unsound. Then ; again, comes for explanation, what are 

 to be. regarded as the ordinary duties, and what we are to 

 look upon as an ordinary horse t both presumptions equal- 

 ly indefinable with Lord Ellenborough's standard of fitness, 

 and Lord Tenterden's status quo before the existence of 

 the defect or blemish. 



The late Mr. Castley, veterinary surgeon to the 12th 

 Lancers whose opinions on this subject, as well as on 

 every other, his habits of acute and accurate observation 

 rendered of peculiar value to us felt inclined, to use his 

 own words, li to steer a middle course," in accordance 

 with which he ventured on the following propositions : First, 

 That all recognized disease constitutes unsoundness for the 

 time being. Secondly, That changes of structure, or an 

 altered condition of parts, and derangement or impairment 

 of function, are allowed by all to be our two great land- 

 marks in conducting examinations for soundness. The 

 first of these propositions may fairly be included in the 

 second ; all disease consisting either in change of structure 

 or change of function, and most diseases involving both 

 these changes. And in regard to the second rule for our 

 guidance, obvious and decisive as are changes of structure, 

 combined with deranged or impaired function of parts in 

 general, there are still some of that trifling or uuinfluential 

 nature that can hardly, when they do exist, be looked 

 upon as unsoundness ; such are chronic or partial dis- 

 eases of certain parts or organs, the obliteration of a vein 

 or artery, for example, the conversion of fibre-cartilage 

 into bone, as in splint, chronic or partial disease of such an 

 organ as the liver, etc., etc." 



Our present inquiry into the nature of soundness being 

 restricted to its relation to lameness, and it being our in- 



