AS TO SOUNDNESS. » 29 
believe it to be caused by prolonged over-exertion of 
the muscles of the shoulder, so that the sarcous elements 
are so worn out and enervated that they are incapable 
of reproducing themselves in their integrity, and some 
degree of degeneration results. However, we know that 
wasting of the parts is a common disease, and often 
incurable, so far as I have observed; and it has, and 
this is most important to us now, degrees of intensity— 
from an almost imperceptible diminution, to the most 
bony, wasted flatness, where the outline of the scapula 
is nearly as ‘well seen as in the skeleton itself. In the 
more confirmed cases, a horse would more probably be 
brought to you for treatment than examination as to 
soundness ; so that we have rather to do now with the 
slighter cases. When a shoulder is well nourished, the 
muscles on each side of the ridge so fill their respective 
fossee, that little besides the asperity on the spine of the 
scapula for the insertion of the trapezius, is seen; and 
both your hands laid flat on the shoulder at the same 
time, meet from these muscles a firm elastic resistance 
on pressure, and-do not come in contact with the spine 
of the scapula except at the point I have mentioned. 
Then, again, the surface of these muscles, from before 
backwards, is rather convex; indeed, very convex in 
such as are of good healthy tone. You fail to find the 
firm, elastic resistance and the convexity in such as are 
diseased to any great extent. I rely more on these signs 
than on a comparison of one shoulder with its fellow, 
which we can effect by standing in front of the horse 
