303 
Veterinary Jurisprudence. 
BOSTON COUNTY COURT. 
Before J. G. S. Smith, Judge. 
Captain C. T. J. Moore, of Frampton, v. Mr. Joseph Major, 
of the Horse Infirmary, London. Claim £20. 
Mr. PeaJce, solicitor, of Sleaford, conducted the plaint, 
Mr . J . H. Hodgson , barrister, of London, the defence. 
Mr* PeaJce stated that the defendant was the manufacturer 
of a patent medicine for the cure of ringbone in horses, and 
that it was called “ Major’s British Remedy. 5 ’ A few months 
ago the plaintiff's coachman purchased a bottle of this 
specific from Mr. Thomas, druggist, of Boston, and applied 
it to a valuable horse that was suffering from the formation 
of a bony substance at each side of one of his hind feet, and 
in consequence of that application the horse got much 
worse, and was ultimately rendered useless. The horse was 
originally worth £80 ; it w 7 as w T orth at least half that 
amount just prior to the application of the remedy, now 
it was worthless ; but though his client had suffered a 
loss to that extent, he was content to lay the damages 
at £20. 
John Dickenson deposed, I am the plaintiff’s coachman. 
When I entered his service one of the horses was suffering 
from the formation of a bony substance at each side of one 
of the hind feet. About nine months after, I bought at Mr. 
Thomas’s a bottle of Major’s British Remedy. 
[Mr. Hodgson here disputed Mr. Thomas’s agency, but 
Mr. Thomas was called and proved that he was agent for the 
sale of the medicine.] 
Examination continued — I treated the horse according to 
the printed instructions given wdth the bottle. First I gave 
cooling medicine to the horse for a week, and then I applied 
the remedy to the foot ; a sixth part of the bottle to each 
side. About an hour after rubbing it in, the horse began to 
suffer great pain, and sloughing began. I then applied a 
lotion, soapsuds, and other remedies, as directed by the 
instructions, but the flesh fell aw ay until the bone was laid 
bare, and the horse w^as rendered quite useless. I went up 
to London to see the defendant, and told him in what state 
the horse w T as. He said it was an anchylosed joint, and 
past the art of man to cure ; and in the course of our con- 
