VETERINARY MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE. 175 
infer that none of its functions were impaired, and its health was 
not affected by this habit; and his opinion was, that, in general, 
crib-biting did not affect the health ot the animal. 
Sir J. Scarlett. —Don't you know that crib-biters are always 
«/ ^ 
draughted from a regiment? 
Witness.—Not unless they have some other defect besides 
crib-biting’. 
Re-examined.—Crib-biting did not arise from impaired functions 
in the animal, though it sometimes produced that effect. 
Lord Tenterden. —Suppose a crib-biter sold to-day in good 
condition, in six months hence it is found to have inflammation in 
the stomach or bowels, with a difficulty of breathing, or any of 
the other symptoms you have described, should you say it was 
unsound or not ? 
Witness.—Unsound when sold, inasmuch as you would be able 
to trace the effect from the cause. 
Mr. James Turner stated that crib-biting, in his opinion, 
was, in the greater number of instances, a habit contract¬ 
ed by imitation. Whether it was or was not injurious to 
the health of the animal, depended upon the degree in which it 
existed. Witness believed that a horse might be a crib-biter 
and yet be perfectly sound; but he believed also, that it was 
decided unsoundness in many cases. It shewed itself more par¬ 
ticularly by the animal distending its body with wind; but all 
crib-biters did not distend their bodies with wind in the same 
degree. It could not be considered as a vice, inasmuch as crib- 
biters were generally perfectly tractable to ride or drive, and 
they did no danger to their owners. 
George Gosden stated, that he had been a veterinary surgeon 
for sixteen or seventeen years. Had known the habit of crib- 
biting to exist in various degrees. 
The Attorney-General. — Is it necessarily a vice or an unsound¬ 
ness ? 
W it ness.—Neither. 
Have you known horses to have that habit in a considerable 
degree, and yet to be extremely healthy for a number of years, 
and to be capable of doing their work?—I have. 1 have know n 
the best of horses to be crib-biters. 
* *7 • 
Do you know r that the horse called “ The Coloner had the 
habit of crib-biting?—I have heard he had it for a number of 
years. 
Sir J. Scarlett. —Does your experience ag'rec with that of Mr. 
Coleman, that it very rarely arises from imitation ; or with Mr. 
Turner, that it generally does?—That it generally does. 
As, in your opinion, it is neither a vice nor an unsoundness, 
