THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XX, No. 239. NOVEMBER 1847. New Series, No. 71. 
LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
4 
By William Percivall, M.R.C.S. and V.S. 
[Continued from p. 548.] 
Treatment of N a vicul arthritis. 
THERE is no description of lameness in horses concerning which 
unprofessional persons feel themselves so much puzzled as about 
“ navicular disease,” as it is called. They cannot understand how 
a horse’s lameness should be “ in his foot,” when, at the same time, 
that foot exhibits to their eyes all the outward and visible signs 
of health — that it is, in fact, what they would call a good foot.” 
Neither is it an easy matter to explain to persons unacquainted 
with the anatomy and physiology of that beautiful but complex 
piece of animal structure, the horse’s foot, how all this comes to 
pass. And less satisfactory still comes the announcement which 
the veterinary surgeon feels it his duty in such cases to make to 
the proprietor of the lame horse, that the lameness is of a nature 
requiring the horse to be laid up out of work for some length of 
time, and that treatment, even under every advantage of repose, is 
not always — and particularly when the lameness has been of con- 
siderable duration, or proves to have been a relapse — so efficacious 
in restoring soundness as he himself, as well as his employer, have 
reason to desire. 
Farriers and grooms, and persons conversant in the ailments of 
horses, have always attached ill omens to cases of lameness in 
which nothing was to be discovered to account for lameness : they 
have ever “ fought shy” of such cases, and been evidently myste- 
rious and guarded in their opinions concerning them, experience 
VOL. XX. 4 L 
