628 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
structions ; and he received a letter from Mr. Wadlow enclosing 
a report on the horses. Witness was at that time staying at 
Preston. (Letter put in dated 27th December, from Mr. Wadlow, 
stating, u I find the blood horse to have constitutional disease in 
the near eye, which impairs his vision, also spavin on the ofF 
hock.”) He did not tell Mr. Day of this, because he thought if 
he did he might not get the certificate. He directed Mr. Napier, 
the agent to the Duke of Marlborough, to write to Mr. Topham. 
This was on his return to Blenheim. (Letter put in, stating re- 
sult of Mr. Wadlow’s examination, and stating that the horse would 
be returned.) The certificates of the other veterinary surgeons were 
likewise put in. 
Charles Hamlyn Wadlow , veterinary surgeon, Oxford, said he 
had had thirty-six years’ experience. On the 2 7th he examined 
the gelding at Mr. Sabin’s stables, and sent a report to Lord 
Churchill. Cataract took from four to six weeks going through 
its stages. There was, first, swelling of the eyelids. After that 
the aqueous humour became turgid, and after four or six weeks 
it left cataract or opacity of the lens. He believed, in this case, 
the defect would have been patent to almost anybody on the 19th 
of December. The small bone spavins were sufficient to amount 
to an unsoundness, and must have been in existence on the 19th 
of December, and, he should think, ought to have been detected 
on a professional examination. 
Cross-examined. — He could only explain their not being seen by 
a professional examiner, on the 18th of February, by supposing 
they were not looked for. He did not mention the cataract in his 
report to Lord Churchill, because he avoided technical terms when 
he could. He said there*was “ constitutional disease in the near 
eye.” Ophthalmia preceded cataract. He was not aware that 
cataract might come on suddenly. 
Mr. Powell . — To use a familiar phrase, “ Would you be sur- 
prised to hear” that it comes on in eight days ? (Laughter.) 
Witness said he should. He did not think, but he was sure, 
that the disease was chronic, and plainly visible on the 19th of 
December ; did not call the disease cataract in his certificate. 
William Thomas Sabin , veterinary surgeon, of Oxford, said he 
obtained his diploma a year ago. On the 27th of December he 
examined the gelding. The cataract and spavins were of consider- 
able standing, and both should have been detected on the 19th of 
December. On the 2nd of June the horse was perfectly blind. It 
was sold on the 17th of June at Beading. 
Cross-examined. — He examined the gelding a second time on 
the 13th of January, after the horse had been to Blenheim. The 
cataract was still in the same state. He said the near eye was 
“ diseased,” so that the horse was nearly blind. Cataract was not 
the only disease. There were other marks of constitutional oph- 
thalmia, which he pointed out to Mr. Wadlow. Mr. James ex- 
amined the horse the same day ; did not mention the cataract in 
his certificate. 
