AS TO SOUNDNESS. 25 
of it cannot hold down his head to eat or drink 
without congestion of this part of the body following, 
from inability of the remaining veins to transmit the 
blood with due celerity, except under favourable con- 
ditions. Slight obliteration, again, may be felt, or, 
still better, seen, on trying the capacity of the vein, 
and should be regarded as an unsoundness; as at 
least the elasticity of the vein has gone, and its 
transmitting powers diminished. 
The vein quite sound, yet showing evidences of 
phlebotomy, should put us on our guard. Why has 
the animal been bled? For anything we know, it 
may have been for acute inflammation of an important 
organ; and, as I had occasion during the winter 
to tell you, of all the causes predisposing to inflam- 
mation of a part, not one is to be compared for 
frequency and effect with previous inflammations. 
The tissues are altered in some way, and, if I may 
be allowed the expression, they are never themselves 
again. 
But now, how are we to know for what the horse 
has been bled? The feet may plainly show a prior 
attack of inflammation, but we can have no evidence 
of a previous enteritis or pneumonia; and I regret 
to say that I cannot advise you to enquire the occa- 
sion for the bleeding, as experience will show you 
that you will be often grievously deceived if you 
believe what the vendor has to say concerning the 
merits of his horse in regard to soundness. For my 
