ON THE NAVICULAR DISEASE. 33 



sess elasticity : — granted ; but the question is, not 

 what he now has, but the degree of elasticity he 

 once possessed ; and we can judge of perfection 

 only by comparison. 



Even a confirmed groggy horse, incurably lame, 

 might be selected to accomplish one or other of the 

 feats I have just mentioned ; though I must acknow- 

 ledge it would put in requisition the rare remains 

 of one of Nature's masterpieces : still such a de- 

 scription of horse is to be found. 



It therefore appears, that an incipient defect of 

 this kind may, under certain circumstances, alter 

 the animal's action without occasioning lameness; 

 and that a horse, either of breeding or of good met- 

 tle, when called into quick movement, has his ener- 

 gies so far excited as to be totally regardless of the 

 rigidity of this spring ; that is, supposing the navi- 

 cular joint to be unimpaired. 



Gentlemen, I fear you will think me prolix, espe- 

 cially as the object of this paper is the treatment of 

 disease ; but I cannot forbear, since this is the pre- 

 cursor from which the foot is suffered still further 

 to degenerate, oftentimes for many months, before 

 the most attentive observer thinks of consulting us 

 (being unconscious of any disease existing), where- xhe precursor 

 by our skill is frequently baffled in the treatment of J" 

 the other formidable malady, which sooner or later 

 supervenes. Moreover, the public have never been 

 sufficiently warned of this antecedent disease by any 



D 



> to navicular 

 lameness. 



