302 
SPAVIN. 
wherein, after informing the members present on the occasion that 
“ his ideas on spavin were altogether different from those of 
authors both of the past and present day,” he introduced, by way 
of illustration of his own views, a case which, “as it corresponds,” 
said Mr. Goodwin, “ minutely with others from which I have de- 
rived my notions of spavin, I need only trace the symptoms that 
were present in this instance, to put you (the members) in pos- 
session of my experience on this disease.” 
“ The subject of this case was a harness horse of unusual per- 
fection both in shape and action, and was a great favourite of an 
illustrious personage (George IV). He suddenly became lame 
behind, on the off fore-leg, and without the least visible alteration 
of structure to account for it. Circumstances, unfortunately for 
the poor beast, were such — the lameness disappearing after being 
turned out for a short time — that, instead of being given up imme- 
diately for treatment, he was made to perform his usual work until 
perfectly incapacitated from it by returning and aggravated lame- 
ness. Suspecting the seat of mischief to be in the hock, although 
at the time the joint was unaltered in its form , he was, three 
months after the commencement of the disease, blistered and fired; 
after which operations he was turned either into a loose place or 
into a paddock, as circumstances required. Not the least amend- 
ment took place at the end of six months, even in his quiescent 
state ; and, after twelve months’ trial from the time of his being 
given up for treatment, he was destroyed, his case being naturally 
considered a hopeless one.” 
“You will perceive” — continues Mr. Goodwin, holding up the 
hock for the inspection of the members present — “ that ulceration 
of the synovial membrane, taking its origin between the two 
cuneiform bones, has extended into the substance of the bones ; 
that they have become carious ; and the disease has been gra- 
dually extending itself to other parts of the joint; and I have no 
doubt that, had the animal been suffered to work on for any length 
of time, necrosis and anchylosis of every bone concerned in the 
hock-joint would have been the result, as you will observe has been 
the case in the hock [holding up to view another specimen] I now 
shew you.” 
At a subsequent sitting of the Society, Mr. Goodwin produced a 
third specimen of spavin, in a hock that had belonged to a horse, also 
the propert}^ of George IV, and which had cost 350 guineas at five 
years old. The horse had had curbs, for which he had been fired. 
Four or five years ago he shewed stiffness in his hind limbs in 
action ; but, as the stiffness disappeared after he had been ridden 
for a short time, no serious notice was taken of it, and the disease 
— the occasion of it incipient spavin — was left to make such pro- 
