174 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
would be rings or seams round the coronet. I have no doubt the disease 
was of long standing— about three or four years, 1 should say. When a 
horse is affected with laminitis, he always avoids putting his toe to the 
ground, throwing his whole weight on the heel. I have no doubt the mare 
was afflicted with this disease on the 21st of October. Cross-examined: I 
have been in practice seven years — part of that time in London, and part in 
Boston. I never saw the mare until the 9th of December. The disease 
would be observable now — there might be a slight alteration, and it might 
be partly hidden by rasping and other chicanery. Re-examined : If I exa- 
mined the mare I should be able immediately to detect any raspings. 
Frederick Mather , Sleaford. — I am a member of the R.C.Y.S. I have 
had some experience. I passed the college in 1855. I examined the mare 
in December, and discovered that she was lame in both fore feet, with fever 
in the feet, technically called laminitis ; this is an inflammatory disease of 
the vascular or sensitive part of the foot. This disease, after a time, causes 
an alteration of structure. The mare had chronic disease of the feet. I 
cannot say how long it had existed. I have no doubt she was unsound on 
the 21st of October. Cross-examined : That disease being chronic would 
be perceptible now. The disease must have existed at least six months. 
Chas. Thimhlehy , Coningsb;y. — I am a member of the R.C.Y.S. I have 
been a large farmer, and have had considerable experience. I examined the 
mare on the 12th of December. When she was brought out of the stable 
she could hardly hop. I discovered from appearances that the disease was of 
long standing. Cross-examined : If properly treated, poulticed, and purged, 
it might not be observable now. The horse had contracted feet, arising from 
disease. 
Mr. White said they were prepared to produce the mare. The jury then 
retired to personally examine the mare in dispute. On their return, Mr. 
White proceeded to address the jury, arguing that the only point to decide 
was, whether the animal was sound at the time of sale. There were several 
sorts of diseases which were not considered unsoundness in an incipient 
state — for instance, crib-biting and badness of shape. There were various 
kinds of fever, some of which, especially in the feet, showed themselves in 
an acute shape rapidly. He should be able to prove that the horse was per- 
fectly sound at the time of delivery. 
Wm. Colley Bland deposed — I am a veterinary surgeon. I sold this 
mare on the 21st of October. I gave a warranty of the soundness of the 
mare, and I am convinced that she was sound at the time. I bought the 
mare of Mr. John Saul, of Sibsey, in June last. She had foaled about a 
month previously. Cross-examined : Live weeks after I sold her, Mr. 
Hammond brought the mare back, and I examined and found her lame 
of fever in the feet. While in my possession I used her regularly. 
Before Mr. Hammond brought her back, he had complained that the mare 
was off her feed, and I gave him a ball to give her. Laminitis is unsound- 
ness. It may arise from anything that tends to produce fever. The feet 
of the mare are perfectly sound at the present time. I gave particular 
orders that the feet should not be rasped. Many horses have rings round 
the feet that have never been lame. The mare does not put her heels down 
to the ground first — she puts her feet down perfectly flat. I rode her last 
Tuesday, when the ground was as hard as a flint, from Mr. Clayworth’s 
house in Hundlebury to Firsby station, in twenty-two minutes. 
Mr. James Bland deposed — I am son of the last witness, and a member of 
the R.C.Y.S. I passed in May, 1854. I was present at the sale of the 
mare. She was then perfectly sound. On her return, on the 25th of Novem- 
ber, she was lame in all four feet. My father offered an amicable arrangement. 
Mr. Charles Spooner, Principal Professor of the Royal Veterinary College, 
deposed — I examined the mare on the 9 th of January. She was then 
