DISEASES, DEFECTS, ETC. 97 



the case has not heen reported, it will now be given at some 

 length. It was tried before Mr. Justice Cresswell at the 

 Liverpool Summer Assizes, 1846, and was an action of 

 assumpsit on the warranty of a horse, the breach of which 

 was loilremhaunch or string-halt and spavin. 



The plaintiff and defendant were both horse-dealers, and 

 it appeared that the plaintiff met the horse in question 

 coming to Chester fair, and at that time there was a kick 

 apparent on one hock. The plaintiff mounted and tried 

 him, but said he had got a string-halt ; this the defendant 

 denied, saying there was nothing but the previous kick. 

 The horse was eventually bought for 521, the defendant 

 warranting him " sound, except a kick on the hock." The 

 horse was string -halted on both legs. 



Veterinary surgeons and other witnesses were called on 

 both sides, who all agreed that there was string-halt, but 

 differed in their opinion as to the existence of a spavin. 



To prove string-halt unsoundness, Mr. Howarth of Man- 

 chester, a veterinary surgeon, described it to be a spasmodic 

 affection of the abductor muscle of the hind leg, a nerve 

 coming through the trunk being affected. He said that a 

 horse affected by it loses its condition and is not able to do 

 so much work. 



Mr. ElHs, of Liverpool, a veterinary surgeon, stated that 

 string-halt is a disease of the sciatic nerve, rendering a 

 horse less fit for work and impeding him in backing, and 

 that he had practical experience showing it to be a disease. 



Mr. Bretherton, of Liverpool, a veterinary surgeon of 

 twenty-four years' practice, said that string-halt is caused 

 by pressure on the sciatic nerve, that it increases by work, 

 and is unsoundness. He had seen horses become quite 

 useless from it, but that more aggravated cases were seen in 

 the country than any submitted to the veterinary college. 

 He had seen horses in his father's stables quite useless 

 from it, but that at first it is only observable when the 

 horse is turning round. 



The defendant called Mr. Grregson, a veterinary surgeon, 

 who had attended the horse, and did not consider string- 

 halt unsoundness. But on being questioned by the Judge 

 he admitted that it frequently gets worse, and that when 

 very bad it impedes the action of the horse, making him less 

 competent for work. 



Mr. Taylor, another veterinary surgeon, said that string- 

 halt does not impair a horse's condition. He had examined 

 the horse in question and considered him sound. 



O. H 



