ON THE NAVICULAR DISEASE. 45 



cases of navicular disease where the lameness has 

 been perpetual though slight, in which no increased 

 heat was perceptible in the coronet, or by feeling 

 the surface of any part of the hoof. With the symp- 

 toms so unexpressive, I usually pare the soles of 

 both feet extremely thin, when the extra proportion 

 of heat in the lame one will be generally apparent 

 by comparison with the other ; but the throbbing 

 of the pastern arteries is a more important criterion. 



The other indication, viz. swelling, is only an 

 occasional symptom of the disease, exhibited by a 

 slight fulness round the coronet immediately above 

 the hoof, which, when present, requires the discri- 

 minating eye of experience to discern it, and is ge- 

 nerally most evident on the inside, towards the in- 

 dented quarter of the hoof. 



Pointing of the feet, or shifting one foot before pointing of the 

 the other in the stable, is doubtless expressive of understood *^by 



!• P'.ip >•!• A n •! the public. 



pam, and is oi itseli a strikmg symptom ot navicular 

 disease ; yet it cannot be denied, that there are 

 many horses which have pointed their feet for years, 

 and remained free from lameness even in quick 

 work. In such cases, I am of opinion there exists 

 a dull chronic inflammation in the tendon exterior 

 to the joint, the articular surfaces of the navicular 

 joint remaining quite perfect in structure. 



Although all groggy horses do not point, I mean 

 to contend, that a much greater proportion of those 



