116 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 
up- of a light spongy open texture, highly elastic, and 
which we know as cancellated tissue. They are subject 
to much occasional pressure, which as you know as surely 
tends to enlargement (hypertrophy) of any structure as 
constant pressure tends to the diminution (atrophy) of 
any structure. When these lower bones are well de- 
veloped, the hock is said to be “coarse.” Horses use 
their hocks as they do their fore feet in making one do 
more work than its fellow, in which case its lower, 
spongy bones will be larger—further developed. Hence 
we so often find in cases where we have this coarseness 
that these hyper-developed bones are larger in one hock 
than the other. The very fact of their coarseness shows 
their propensity to accommodate themselves to their 
requirements. Where we find coarse hocks, I again re- 
peat, we find structures that both can and do accom- 
modate themselves to exigencies. The process of nature’ ' ' 
to which we give the name “‘spavin,” is neither more 
nor less than one of nature’s attempts at ankylosis 
disturbed during the attempt. The cure which she begins 
she is very frequently indeed not able to finish on 
account of the forced exercise of the parts. What she 
aims at is to glue the bones at the bottom of the hock 
together by means of an ulcero-plastic inflammation. 
Now I have got to explain what I mean by this in-: 
flammation, seeing that the College of Physicians only 
enumerates six inflammations, viz.:—r. Ulcerative ;. 
2. Suppurative; 3. Plastic; 4. Rheumatic; 5. Gouty; 
and 6. Gonorrhceal. To these veterinarians may: add 
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