277 



tious of cooperating parts; anythingappear to neutralize the efificiency 

 of vitalizing forces; any disability of a limb to accept and to throw- 

 back upon its mate the portion of the weight which belongs to it to sus- 

 tain, whether as the effect of traumatic accidents or otherwise ; in short, 

 whatever tends to defeat the purpose of nature in organizing the loco- 

 motive apparatus may be looked upon as a cause of lameness. And it is 

 not the least of the facts which it is important to remember that it is 

 not sufficient to look for the manifestation of an existing discordance 

 in the action of the affected limb alone, but that it is shared by the 

 sound one, and must be searched for in that as well as the haltinsr 

 member, if the hazard of an error is to be avoided. The mode of action 

 of the leg, which is the seat of the lameness, will vary greatly from 

 that which it exhibited when in a healthy condition, and the sound leg 

 will also offer important modifications in the same three particulars 

 before alluded to, to wit, that of resting on the ground, that of its ele- 

 vation and forward motion, and that of striking the ground again when 

 the full action of stepping is accomplished. Inability in the lame leg 

 to sustain weight will imply excessive exertion by the sound one, and 

 lack of facility or disposition to rest the lame member on the ground 

 will necessitate a longer continuance of that action on the sound side. 

 UJiauges in the act of elevating the leg, or of carrying it forward, in 

 both, will present, however, entirely opposite conditions between the 

 two. The lame member will be elevated rapidly, moved carefully for- 

 ward, and returned to the ground with caution and hesitancy, and the 

 contact with the earth will be effected as lightly as possible, while the 

 sound limb will rest longer on the ground, move boldly and rapidly 

 forward, and strike the ground promptly and forcibly. All this is due 

 to the fact that the sound member carries more than its normal, healthy 

 share of the weight of the body, a share which may be in excess from 

 1 to 250, and thus bring its burden to a figure varying from 251 to 500, 

 all depending upon the degree of the existing lameness, whether it is 

 simply a slight tenderness or soreness, or whether the trouble has 

 reached a stage which compels the patient to the awkwardness of travel- 

 ing on three legs. 



That all this is not mere theory, but rests on a foundation of fact may 

 be established by observing the manifestations attending a single al- 

 teration in the balancing of the body. In health, the support and 

 equilibrium of that mass of the body which is borne by the fore legs is 

 equalized, and passes by regular alternations from the right to the left 

 side, and vice versa. But if the left leg becoming disabled, relieves 

 itself by leaning, as it were, on the right, the latter becomes, conse- 

 quently, practically heavier, and the mass of the body will incline or 

 settle upon that side. Lameness of the left side, therefore, means drop- 

 ping or settling on the right, and vice versa. We emphasize this state- 

 ment and insist upon it, the more from the frequency of the instances 



