THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
67 
inflammation consequent thereon, is, as has been already shewn, 
the ordinary precursor of exostoses occurring upon them, or in their 
immediate vicinity. 
Exostoses occasion Lameness or not, according to the 
condition, of the nidus of callus, inflammatory or not, in which they 
are forming, as well as the condition, stretched or inflamed, of their 
periosteal tunics. In general, we know that horses do not go lame 
from splents ; and also we know, that bone spavin frequently, of 
large size even, is present without occasioning lameness. On the 
other hand, simply a “knot” in the spavin place now and then 
evidently causes lameness. All this, we repeat, will depend 
upon the condition at the time of the callus and of the periosteum ; 
though in the case of spavin in particular we must take like- 
wise into consideration the proximity of the tumour to the joint, 
as well as the participation of the latter in the diseased action. 
The extreme soreness which now and then is manifested by 
horses whenever exostoses of which they are lame are felt or press- 
ed, arises from an inflamed and morbidly sensitive state either of 
the callus or of the periosteum, or of both. 
The Treatment of Ossific Disease of the Joints will be 
best considered under the respective heads of particular lamenesses 
arising therefrom. We shall find it a form of disease which, so 
far as joints are concerned, is, as we have before observed, frequently 
complicated with ulceration of the articular cartilages; which con- 
sideration it is that has induced us to take general views of both 
forms of disease before we proceed to treat of their special forms, 
under the appellations of spavin, navicular-joint disease, knee- 
joint disease.. &c. &c. 
THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE, AND ITS 
FITNESS. 
By a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. 
I KNOW that, from time to time, a great deal has been written 
about — little in praise and much condemnatory of — the Royal 
Veterinary College of London. The subject, however, seems 
never to have been fairly treated ; personal feeling appears to have 
suggested by far the majority of the comments that I have read, 
and the gentlemen by courtesy termed “ Professors,” and the public 
have a fair right to reject and to complain of charges originating in 
such a source. A full, true, and impartial account of the Institution 
