174 
VETERINARY MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE. 
Cross-examined. — Young horses would frequently imitate 
stanch old crib-biters. 
Richard Hardwick , the defendant’s brother, stated, that the 
defendant bought the horse of Mr. Shack well, in June last, for 
40 guineas. It was warranted sound, and quiet to ride or drive. 
It was fresh, and in good condition; and continued so till it was 
sold to the plaintiff. It was not “ a determined” crib-biter. It 
was kept in the defendant’s stables for a month before it was 
sold to the plaintiff, and the manger (a wooden one) was not at 
all injured by its biting. 
Cross-examined.—It had been since sold to Dr. Halcomb. 
The price asked was 60 guineas ; but witness did not know what 
his brother got of Dr. Halcomb for it. 
Professor Colemaii stated, that horses had the habit of crib- 
biting in very different degrees. He was inclined to think that 
the true meaning of the word “ vice” was, some vicious quality, 
which was dangerous to the ow ner of the horse, or to others 
who rode or drove it, and not merely a defect or fault, because 
if that were the case, tripping or shying would be a vice, and 
few horses were free from some defect or fault. A crib-biter 
might be a vicious horse, but not necessarily so because he was 
a crib-biter. 
Is crib-biting an unsoundness? 
That depends on the definition of the word “ unsoundness.” 
I have always considered wherever there is an alteration of 
function in any part, so as to influence the entire functions, and 
prevent the animal from performing the common duties of a horse, 
that he is unsound. According to that definition, a crib-biter 
may or may not be unsound. If the habit exists in a slight 
degree—that is, if the horse only occasionally bites his crib, but 
supports his condition, and can perform all the duties of a horse,— 
then I should say he w as not unsound. 
On his cross-examination, the w itness stated that the habit of 
crib-biting frequently produced a disordered function, w hich was 
the effect of swallowing the air in the attempt to lay hold of 
some fixed object. That produced indigestion and a disordered 
stomach, a difficulty of breathing, with spasms and inflammation ; 
and if the disorder got lower down, it produced a disorder of 
the bowels. The habit of crib-biting might be acquired from 
imitating other horses; but that was by no means the most frequent 
cause. It frequently attached to high-bred horses, and others 
that w ere kept long without food. In ninety-nine cases out of a 
hundred that was the main cause of crib-biting. As the horse in 
question had been stated to be in good condition, witness should 
