236 DISCREPANCY OF PROFESSIONAL EVIDENCE. 
On the subject of discrepancy of professional evidence in courts 
of law, one question still remains unanimadverted upon, and that 
perhaps the most important question of all, viz., the question of 
constitutional soundness, so far as it has reference to pulmonic dis- 
ease. A gentleman resident in the country, in want of a horse, 
comes to London to seek for one ; and after going the usual round 
of the metropolitan dealers’ yards, fixes upon one, and makes pur- 
chase of him. The horse is said to be “five years old,” and 
“ warranted sound;” is sleek in his coat; fat upon his rib; full of 
courage; and, withal, “quiet to ride and quiet in harness.” In 
the same blooming condition in which he quitted the dealer’s warm 
and comfortable stable he arrives in the more open and airy one 
of his fresh master, who, being desirous to test his new property, 
the following day rides or drives him out; in the course of which 
ride or drive, the animal, full of spirits, acquits himself much to 
the satisfaction of his master ; though it is remarked at the time, 
“ he sweats a good deal from the little exertion he has been put to;” 
— “ owing, no doubt,” it is added, “ to the circumstance of his pro- 
bably having done nothing but walk a few times up and down the 
yard, of a morning, all the while he has been in the possession of 
the dealer.” The season of the year being the spring, and the time 
somewhere about that of the prevalence of north-east winds, the 
horse, from the sweat he has had, as might naturally be expected, 
“ catches cold.” The night of the day of trial he does not “ pick up 
his corn” with the same appetite he did the night before ; and the 
groom tells his master he has a “cough,” though that “he had when 
bought;” for, continues the groom, “ I heard him cough once or twice 
in the dealer’s stable.” The master, who had set his mind on ano- 
ther ride upon his promising new horse, felt loath to forego his an- 
ticipated pleasure ; and, if he had any scruples in his mind on the 
prudence or propriety of taking the animal out again under present 
circumstances, they were speedily dissipated by the groom’s assur- 
ance that “ a short ride would not hurt the horse.” The cough, 
however, during the ride, becomes so troublesome, that the rider 
deems it prudent to forego his pleasure, and return by the nearest 
road, at a foot’s pace, to the stable. That night the horse’s “cold” 
very perceptibly “ increases he refuses his corn ; cares little 
about mash : eating hay only, and that but sparingly; and picking 
