312 
LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
practice has taught him, nothing in such cases proves more bene- 
ficial. Although it may be proper to keep the lame animal for a 
time tied up in his stall with two ropes, so that he cannot lie down, 
when the inflammatory action comes to be on the decline a 
loose box is certainly the preferable apartment for our patient, and 
in some cases, especially during convalescence, a little walking 
exercise is recommendable. 
Elbow-joint Lameness. 
Had it not been for a luckless wight of a horse of my own, my 
pen must have remained silent on this subject. The case is 
complete in every stage of its history, from its very insidious and 
dubious beginning down to its unfortunate and fatal termination. 
To me, all the way through, it proved a mystery ; to others it may 
answer the purpose of a beacon in the event of their ever en- 
countering a rara avis of the sort. 
The subject of the disease was a chestnut gelding, I got in the 
year 1848, in a swap with Mr. Sewell, dealer in horses, Pimlico. He 
was then rising five years old, and looked like a weight-carrying 
hunter and useful harness horse, being in appearance little more 
than half bred. He was well shaped everywhere save in his 
fore legs ; and they were not deficient in power, but were strik- 
ingly calf-kneed, with toes inclined outward, and action dishing 
and slovenly, the consequence of which was, that, in his usual 
careless jog trot, he made frequent stumbles through hitting his 
toe, although when excited or put into a gallop his action im- 
proved greatly, so much so indeed in the latter pace that it was in 
the eye of a sportsman undeniable. Though I used him mostly 
in harness, I occasionally rode him, and paid dearly enough for it 
by his having thrice fallen upon his knees with me. In neither 
fall, however, did he hurt himself; only on one occasion, indeed, 
did he graze the hair upon his knees. Still, I repeat, he was an 
excellent galloper, and turned out a capital jumper, and more than 
once acquitted himself very creditably with the Queen’s hounds. 
Soon after I purchased him — in the spring of 1843 — he took 
the catarrhal influenza prevalent about that time, but had it favour- 
ably, and speedily recovered ; since which, to the summer of 1845, 
he ailed nothing, but regularly did his work, which was extremely 
moderate. 
The latter end of June 1845 he took the influenza again, and 
though the epidemic of that year was of a severe and fatal cha- 
racter, he had it very lightly; the only question being, as will 
arise in the sequel, whether his system did or did not in conse- 
quence of the attack, notwithstanding it was a mild one, imbibe 
