456 
TURNER S TREATISE ON THE 
although seldom, the navicular bone itself has been found to have 
been fractured ; at others, its surface has been seen deprived of 
its usual coating, and studded with projections or riders of new 
growth, or exhibiting superficial observations, more or less ex¬ 
tensive. 
Here seems to be Mr. Turner’s discovery, except that the 
sequelae of the disease, carious affection of the bone, or lesion 
of the tendon, are more regarded than the primary and distin¬ 
guishing character of it,—inflammation of the synovial membrane. 
We should almost hesitate to which to assign the palm, did not 
Mr. Morecroft drop all mention of the navicular joint in the suc¬ 
ceeding part of his paper, and speak immediately afterwards of 
“coffin joints,” and of “the greater proportion of bloodvessels 
surrounding diseased coffin joints,” and of “ tying the fetlock 
artery, to cut off the supply of blood to the coffin joint.” 
The truth of the matter is, that Mr. Morecroft was perfectly 
aware of the occasional existence of navicular joint lameness; 
but he regarded the coffin joint as the general source of disease, 
while Mr. Turner first of all directed the attention of the profession 
to the navicular joint as the frequent, or almost invariable, cause 
of groggy lameness. 
At the veterinary college, navicular lameness was regarded as 
of very rare occurrence; nay, we believe that the very existence 
of it was at first denied as a disease of common occurrence. 
However jealous we may be of each other, and uncandidly and 
disgracefully diligent in detracting from each other’s professional 
merit, “ Mr. James Turner was the first person who directed the 
attention of veterinary practitioners to the navicular joint 
disease.” We are glad that he has brought his claim before the 
public, no longer through the medium of a Journal, however ex¬ 
tensively read, but in a publication of his own; and we are 
confident, that in no veterinary work is there given so clear and 
satisfactory an account of the symptoms, causes, and, to a certain 
degree, treatment, of this usual source of chronic lameness. 
While we heartily approve of most of the alterations in these 
papers, we confess that we smiled a little at one of them. After 
recommending, and most properly, the unfettering of the inside 
heel of the coffin bone, by removing, as much as possible, all 
