CASE OF ADHESIONS OF THE INTESTINES. 365 
rather to do good by their unceasing and protracted action than 
from any specific virtue resident in them. 
Relapse. In every dase of lameness, almost, it is hardly less 
our duty to change that state as soon as we can for one of sound- 
ness than it is to guard against relapse of ailment ; for not only is 
a relapse always less promising to treat than an original case of 
lameness, but it lays the practitioner open to taunts and reflections 
on the part of his employers and others as having not cured but 
simply “patched up” the case. Now, shoulder-lameness, like 
navicularthritis, happens to be a case very likely to return should 
the subject of it be taken back too shortly after soundness has 
been restored ; and therefore it behoves the practitioner to keep 
his patient in hospital/or a rest at least, as long as he can ; at all 
events, to caution the owner of the risk he runs in disobeying this 
wholesome injunction. In the course of our practice, we have 
known horses who have had, as it were, periodical returns of lame- 
ness in the shoulder ; at least, who have had their lameness come 
on as soon as they have been put to the same hard or violent ex- 
ertion as in the first instance occasioned it, even though a twelve- 
month or more has intervened between the application of such 
exciting causes : it being evident enough that the lameness would 
have relapsed before, had the horse been sooner put to his trying 
work. In the majority of cases, relapses, if they occur at all, take 
place on the horse’s first being returned to work ; and if not 
then, pretty confident hopes may be entertained they will not 
happen at all. In a state of convalescence there is no better 
habitation for the patient than a loose box : to the little motion he 
can take in which may be added, as he progresses towards sound- 
ness, walking exercise in hand, at an hour of the day and in a 
situation, if possible, when and where he will hear and see nothing 
to cause him to “jump about,” and so to run a hazard of re-laming 
himself. 
CASE OF ADHESIONS OF THE INTESTINES, 
PREFACED BY SOME REMARKS ON PASSING PROFESSIONAL 
EVENTS. 
By John Tombs, M.R.C.V.S . , Stratford-on-Avon. 
Sir, — H aving occasion the other day to refer to an old case- 
book, I stumbled over the following case, which I intended record- 
ing in The Veterinarian at the time it occurred, but something 
VOL. xxi. 3 D 
