500 
VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
stringhalt that was not fully capable of doing his work. String- 
halt always increases with want of work. 
^ r ; Field expressed himself much indebted to Mr. Percivall 
for bringing forward the subject. It is time for the profession to 
agree on a guiding and determining principle; and he knows no 
better than that endeavoured to be established by Mr. Percivall,— 
the impairment of function. If there be no impairment of func¬ 
tion, arid nothing that will probably lead to impairment, the horse 
is sound. 
The hour of nine approached, and the Society adjourned. 
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4th. 
Mr . James Turner in the Chair . 
At the suggession of Mr. Henderson, the substance of Mr. 
Percivall s paper on the legal definition of soundness,—on the 
opinions of veterinary writers,—and on his own conception of 
soundness, as it regarded the constitution, was again read. 
Mr. Goodwin , adverting to Mr. Percivalfs remark, that a horse 
with one disease upon him ought not to be held returnable for or 
with any other contracted afterwards, related a case on which he 
wished to obtain the opinion of the Society. A mare was perfectly 
sound: a friend of his purchased her, and the day after the sale 
she became lame. He thought, at first, that it was a temporary 
thing; but she became permanently lame. It was a clear navicu¬ 
lar case. Was she returnable ? 
Mr. W. Percivall could give no answ T er without know r ino' the 
whole of the case. 
Mr. l amer said that no opinion could be given in such a case 
without actual inspection of the mare. 
Mr. Held asked whether there was any difference in the form 
of the foot, wdiich could indicate a predisposition to disease, or 
perhaps actual disease prior to the sale. 
Mr. Goodwin said there was not, or he should not have recom¬ 
mended her; but the lameness happening so soon, and being of 
such a permanent nature, he should have thought himself justified 
m returning her. 
.Mr. Henderson did not think that the vender w r ould have been 
willing to take her back; for in the course of twenty-four hours 
many things might have happened to render her incurably lame. 
Mr. Goodwin stated that nothing of the kind had occurred. 
Mr. J. Percivall remarked, that lameness might be produced 
m a moment, from the simplest cause: the mare turning in the 
stall might be sufficient. 
