478 
ON SORE SHINS IN THE HORSE. 
That it is not better understood, and its insidious attacks sooner 
and more effectually combatted, is owing, I am persuaded, to the 
want of confidence in the well-educated and practical veterinary 
surgeon, which is too often and too painfully felt, in connexion 
with those who have the management of this highly valuable 
species of property. There is a ridiculous affectation of secresy 
and reserve among too many of the trainers of race-horses that 
ought not to extend itself to the professional man, whose interest, 
if fairly employed, would be firmly identified with their own ; and 
1 speak advisedly, and under strong conviction, when I say that, 
however much the training of these animals may have progressed 
as a matter of skill and good management — and I am happy to 
bear testimony to this as a fact — still, I am persuaded, it will 
never arrive at any thing like the degree of perfection it is capa- 
ble of until there is an acknowledged and perfect identity of inte- 
rest in the two to carry it into effect, and until every racing stable 
has its constantly attendant veterinary surgeon. 
I have always been in the habit of considering those horses 
the most subject to this disease that in the technical language 
of the racing stable, go too much on the bones. It is essentially 
a disease of the bone and periosteum, as Mr. A. very justly ob- 
serves in effect, although in other words. The weight thrown 
upon the shafts of support (the large metacarpal bones) aided by 
the intense velocity with which they are acted upon, and, as is 
almost invariably the case, upon bones that have not received 
their full maturity of growth, and, as I will venture to suggest, 
having a forced state of vascularity from the high state of keep- 
ing they are subject to during the time of training — these, super- 
added to the causes before stated, produce an inflammatory state 
of the periosteum and the extensor tendon. A morbid secretion 
of bone takes place of the healthy structure, spiculee are formed 
on its anterior surface, and shortness in the action of the animal 
follows as a natural consequence of the laceration produced on 
these already painfully sensitive and suffering parts in the act of 
progressing. There is an anomaly in this disease, inasmuch as, 
although it is originally produced by too much weight being 
thrown upon the metacarpal bones, yet, in its progress, the 
animal invariably goes still more upon them, although this is 
easily accounted for by the laceration caused in the extension of 
the leg just stated above. 
Sore shins, as a disease, is pretty well known to trainers from 
the action it produces in the animal, though I am quite con- 
vinced that few, if any, are aware of the fearful alteration in 
structure caused by it in its progress. A plaister, composed 
of an acid and an alkali, or some cooling lotion, is generally 
