12 Veterinary Elements. 



chance of success. The numbers of pairs of ribs are in 

 the horse 18, cow 13, sheep 13, pig 14. 



The expression — well- ribbed- up — refers to the close- 

 ness of the last rib to the hips, such a conformation is 

 desired in all animals with the exception of the dairy 

 cow. The reasons that it is so desired are several, in 

 horses looseness of the coupling is often an indication of 

 poor digestive and staying powers, and in the beef ani- 

 mals, the tissues forming that location, the upper flank, 

 are tough, gristly, in fact, consequently not of great value 

 as meat. The breastbone (sternum) receives the attach- 

 ments of the first 8 ribs (true ribs) and resembles a 

 boat's keel ; if small and narrow, the floor of the chest 

 will also be narrow ; the front part of the breast bone 

 and its coverings form the brisket. In dairy cattle we 

 find it sharp, in other animals smooth, wide and well 

 covered with muscles. The backbone, ribs, breast bone 

 and the diaphragm (a large muscle separating the intes- 

 tinal cavity from the lung cavity) constitute the bounda- 

 ries of the chest cavity. 



The Limbs. In the fore limbs there are the bones of 

 the shoulder (scapula), the arm (humerus), forearm 

 (radius and ulna), of the knee (the carpus, made up of 

 8 small bones), the cannon and splint bones (large and 

 two small metacarpals), the pastern (os suffraginis and 

 corona), the pedal, coffin and shuttle bones (os pedis 

 and os naviculare), the last two being contained in the 

 hoof. The long bones of the limbs are often said to have 

 a shaft and two extremities, the latter, the expanded 

 ends which enter into and form the various joints ; as a 

 result certain motions take place between bones, to 



