76 
SOUNDNESS AND UNSOUNDNESS. 
disgusting to hear one veterinary surgeon swearing in a 
court of justice that crib-biting, stringhalt, corns, splints, 
&c., are not unsoundness; and another veterinary surgeon 
immediately afterwards swearing just the reverse? 
These things ought not so to be ; for I feel assured they 
injure us as a body, by lessening us in the estimation of the 
public, and I should be glad if in any way I can contribute 
to benefit the profession by aiding in the removal of this 
. Ron soundness and unsoundness. 
R. Dobson, M.Ii.C.V.S., Kettering. 
^LINOi^T 
db*T$oking over the few, but very excellent, communica- 
tions on the subject of the warranty of horses that have ap- 
peared in the recent numbers of the Veterinarian , it appears 
to me that all nearly that can be said upon the subject of a 
practical nature is well nigh exhausted. However, I think 
that of all your communications, those of my friend Mr. 
Dickens come nearest to the point. In reference to horses 
possessing some defect, which although not interfering with 
usefulness or action, still renders them liable to be rejected 
by a professional man, he asks. Are such horses of equal 
market value with perfectly unblemished horses ? and I think 
upon this hinges much of the responsibility of veterinary 
surgeons ; since country practitioners are often referred to in 
a matter of this kind, both by buyer and seller. In fact, 
they act the part both of judge and jury, and very difficult 
it is sometimes to give satisfaction to all parties. Now the 
question is, Is not a horse possessing some defect, which 
renders him of less value in the market, practically speaking 
an unsound animal ? although this defect may not at all in- 
terfere with his usefulness or value as a slave, and may be of 
such a nature as will not, in all probability, eventually do so. 
In the month of January last, I was requested to examine 
a black carriage-horse, sold by a farmer to his landlord, sub- 
ject to my examination. A horse freer from blemish I never 
saw, except a small exostosis on the cuneiform bone of the 
near hock. The horse, however, had remarkably good action 
with his hind legs, and especially with his hocks ; and more- 
over the growth was, as I knew, congenital. I did not feel 
justified in passing the horse, although I knew he was just 
the animal my client wanted, but in concurrence with my 
