3c8 DADD’S VELERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 
able, says that his attention to the hereditary origin of ring-bone 
was first aroused from a remark made by an extensive dealer in 
horses, in reply to a question put to him, How it happened that 
but few ringbones were met with, compared to the number that 
sttractec notice in times past? The reply was, “ Because no 
breeder of horses nowadays will send a mare to a horse having 
ring-bone.” A very good example for American horsemen to fol- 
low, for the disease is very prevalent in some parts of this country. 
A vast number of our best as well as inferior horses a12 .Le sub- 
jects of this infirmity. The disease lurks in breed, after the fash- 
ion of scrofula and consumption in the human subject. When 
both parents are affected, the disease in the offspring is doubly 
severe. 
The author just quoted remarks that “a coarse or half-breed, 
fleshy or bony-legged horse, with short and upright pasterns, is 
the ordinary subject of this disease ; and there exists satisfactory 
reasons why we should expect him to be so. The pastern and 
coffin bones constitute the nethermost of the column of bones 
composing the limbs, and being so, they receive the entire weight 
and force transmitted from above. ‘The pastern, being long and 
oblique in position, receives the superincumbent weight on such an 
indirect line that, bending toward the ground with the fetlock, 
nothing like jar nor concussion follows. The very reverse of this, 
however, happens every time the foot of a limb, having a short, 
upright pastern, comes to the ground. In such, instead of the 
weight descending obliquely.upon the sessamoids, and the fetlock 
bending therewith, it descends directly, or nearly so, upon the 
pasterns, making this bone entirely dependent on the bone beneath 
it for counteracting concussion; and should any thing occur to 
diminish this, or to throw more weight on the bones beneath than 
they can counteract, jar of the whole apparatus ensues ; and an 
effort of Nature to strengthen the parts, by investing them with 
callous and ossification, is likely to be the ultimate result; for we 
would view ring-bone, disease though it must assuredly be called, 
a recourse of Nature to strengthen weak parts, the bones being 
unequal to the exertions or efforts required of them.” 
Another quotation may possibly interest the reader: 
“ Ring-bone is an exostosis (a growth of bone from bone) situated 
ground the coronet, mostly near the pastern joint, at othe: times 
just above it; and not unfrequently the joint becomes anc aylose4 
