150 
NEW VIEWS REGARDING ROARERS. 
rated, and lined at every part by the delicate pituitary mem- 
brane, forming a vast extent of surface for the distribution of the 
olfactory nerves constituting the organ of smell, and in the horse 
supplying the place of the sense of touch. Upon attempting to 
pass my finger down the passage through the palatine arch, as a 
sound or probe, it was opposed by the turbinated bones being 
almost in contact with the cartilaginous septum, owing to their 
dilatation ; anteriorly and posteriorly they were enlarged in every 
direction. Upon examination by the nostril, this obstructing me- 
dium could not be discerned ; but it could be distinctly felt by the 
extremity of the middle linger after removing the nostril and in- 
teguments. The nasal passage was not by any means obliterated, 
but merely diminished in capacity about one-half, whilst the 
other, the left nasal passage, in which the turbinated bones were 
of their natural dimensions, was perfectly sound, open, and un- 
obstructed, presenting a very considerable space for the free 
transmission of atmospheric air, between these bones and the 
septum narium. 
Although the discovery of these morbid phenomena gratified 
me exceedingly, in clearing up the mystery of this individual 
case, I certainly was not at the time duly impressed as to their 
importance ; for hastily regarding it as a case merely of exostosis, 
I had the head immediately suspended in an airy situation to 
dry, valuing it only in the light of an accidental or solitary case, 
erroneously supposing that, when dry, it would present a solid 
osseous tumour, which blinded me to the fact of the specimen 
being applicable to roarers in general. 
After a few weeks, however, I became more enlightened; for 
upon peeping into the dried head, instead of beholding an ex- 
crescrence of bone like a spavin, the evaporation had caused the 
turbinated bones in question to present a perfectly sound appear- 
ance, except a preternatural size ; and upon cutting into their 
spongy substance, the structure was sound, but their augmenta- 
tion w as owing simply to the dilatation of every cell or interstice, 
and they were perfectly empty. 
REFLECTIONS. 
That the grey horse in question was a roarer, owing to this 
mechanical obstruction in the air-passage of his face, I shall sup- 
pose no one will dispute. 
Now, I am forcibly struck that the rationale of this horse’s 
case may be applied to hundreds. In all probability this perma- 
nent unsoundness was the sequela either of severe catarrh or 
strangles. 
It is fair to infer, that, when a very young horse, he laboured 
