DISEASES OF THE JOINTS 439 



such, in fact, as to at once suggest the possibility of corns 

 being present. 



In some cases there is just the suspicion of a limp with 

 one limb, and this only at intervals during the trot. At 

 one moment the veterinarian is positive that he sees the 

 animal going lame ; at another he is just as confident he 

 sees him coming towards him sound. 



Nothing is found in the limb — neither heat, tenderness, 

 nor swelling. There is nothing in the gait (either a limited 

 movement of the radius, or a circular sweep with the leg) to 

 indicate shoulder or other lameness, and the veterinary 

 surgeon, by eliminative evidence, is bound to conclude that 

 the trouble is in the foot. 



The foot is then examined — pared, percussed, pinched, 

 and in other ways manipulated — but nothing further is 

 forthcoming. In such a case the veterinary surgeon is 

 wise to declare the abortive result of his examination, to 

 hint darkly of his suspicions, and to suggest a second ex- 

 amination at some future date. It may be that two, three, 

 four, or even more, such examinations are necessary before 

 he can justly pronounce a positive verdict. 



Later he is enabled to do this by an increase in the 

 severity of the symptoms, and by the changes that take 

 place in the form of the foot. The lameness is now more 

 marked, and the ' pointing ' in the stable more frequent. 

 With regard to the latter symptom, it has been seriously 

 discussed whether the horse with navicular disease points 

 with the heel elevated or with it pressed to the ground. In 

 either case, of course, the limb is advanced ; but while some 

 hold that the phalangeal articulations are flexed and the 

 heel slightly raised, in order to relieve the pressure of the 

 perforans tendon on the affected area, and so obtain ease, 

 ihere are others who hold that the heel is pressed firmly to 

 the ground in order to deaden the pain. It may be, and 

 most probably is, that both are right ; but, in our opinion, 

 there is no doubt whatever that pointing with the heel 

 elevated is by far the most common. 



The lameness is now excessive, and is especially notice- 



