392 



TUB AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



the eyeball, is, of course, due to the con- 

 traction or expansion of the iris or 

 movable curtain which has two orders of 

 fibres ; the one radiating like the spokes 

 of a wheel, the other circular. The 

 shortening or contraction of the first 

 variety of involuntary muscular fibres en- 

 larges the pupillary opening. The con- 

 traction of the circular fibres contracts it. 

 Light is the only thing necessary to stimu- 

 late the circular fibres to contract 

 and diminish the pupil. Comparativeness, 

 darkness, causes the radiating fibes to act, 

 and admit what light there is to be ob- 

 tained. If these simple facts in connec- 

 tion with the pupil and its regulation by 

 the movable curtain (iris) are borne in 

 mind, a " glass eye," so-called, will be 

 detected When the outdoor examina- 

 tion took place, the pupil was com- 

 paratively small ; when brought into any 

 but a very light stable, the pupil will 

 immediately enlarge. In the stable, in a 

 low medium of light, preferably a dark, 

 loose box, a wax match will enable the 

 examiner to look into the eye and see if 

 the lens is clear. Any opacity of the lens 

 is called cataract, whether affectinf its 

 substance or its capsule,. and in animals is 

 beyond treatment, for the reason that they 

 cannot be trusted with spectacles, and not 

 because the same operations as performed 

 on men would not equally wdl succeed. 



Any opacity, however small, in this part 

 the eye must condemn the horse as un- 

 sound. Some subjects of cataract are 

 dangerous or habitual shyers, while 

 others give no trouble. Many an honest 

 man offers a horse for sale without the 

 least idea of the presence of cataract, 

 which a veterinary surgeon will at once 

 detect. 



Coming to the Legs. 



It is now a matter of individual pre- 

 ference as to how to proceed with our 

 examination. Those who desire to look 

 smart so arrange that they shall nut twice 

 go over the same portion of the animal. 

 I will assume that the reader is more 

 concerned to avoid a mistake. As pointed 

 out in a previous paper, he will endeavour 

 to secure a quiet quarter of an hour for 

 the subject to get cold in, and display 

 navicular lameness when he comes out for 

 his final overhaul. One should stand 

 in front and look between his legs, 



and note their relation. In a general 

 view, the examiner will see if he turns 

 his feet out or in ; a m itter determined 

 more by the way the fore limb is put on 

 than the actual shape or trend of the 

 hoofs. Enlargements either on the fore 

 or hind limbs are best seen in this way ; 

 for, if any exist, they will not be likely 

 to match either in their size or position. 

 A similar view from behind should be 

 taken, and the size and shape of the hocks 

 noted. A spavin will be looked for from 

 both ends Such defects as curb will be 

 best observed from a side view. The view- 

 ing here insisted on does not take so long 

 as describing it. We next proceed to 

 feeling. We left off feeling at the head, 

 wlien we wei-e satisfied that no poll evi 

 or "jugs" existed. We may now press 

 our thumb in the channel of the neck 

 until the blood in the jugular vein accu- 

 mulates like a thick cord above it ; the 

 blood escapes immediately we release the 

 pressure, and we know that the vessel is 

 pervious : that is to say, the animal has 

 not been bled with a rusty fleam, and 

 obliteration of the jugular vein, as a con- 

 quence of subsequent inflammation. It is 

 convenient, at this stage, to run down the 

 limb, feeling carefully for blemished knee. 

 However small the blemish, we shall find 

 it if we turn the hair the wi'ong way and 

 feel for any thickening, then smooth it 

 down again lightly, and see if it readily 

 fallb into place. A few coarse hairs with 

 a disposition to cross one another will 

 almost invariably ba left if there has 

 been ever so slight a damage sustained at 

 this important point. 



Knee Spavin or Splint 



should have been seen when comparing 

 the outlines of the two limbs, but the 

 opportunity is now aff'ordedof comj^arison 

 under the fingers. Splints in the every- 

 day situation will be noted, and in a 

 mature horse excused. If they are too 

 far back to clear the ligaments ard ten- 

 dons, they may constitute a serious cause 

 of unsoundness. In a horse under five 

 years old, one should regard them with 

 greater disfavour ; they may cause him to 

 go lame as soon as put to work, but with 

 a six-year old, or seasoned animal, they 

 are probably set, and not very likely to 

 cause trouble. 



