191 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
Blaber v. Griffinhooff. 
[The report of this case from the Sussex Express having 
caused some dissatisfaction on the part of the veterinary 
evidence for the defence, we re-publish the defendant’s case as 
reported in the Brighton Gazette.'] 
Mr. Kennett asked whether the Judge thought the evidence 
went to establish “ unsoundness I” 
Judge —There cannot be a question about it. 
Mr. Kennett. —The plaintiff purchased the horse after he had 
discovered its defects, which were patent to the world. 
Judge. —If the horse had only three legs, that would have 
been a patent defect; but when the plaintiff saw that the horse 
had peculiarly shaped feet, it did not follow that he was aware 
of the unsoundness. 
Defendant then deposed that plaintiff inspected the horse 
and made remarks on it. He said, “ He has peculiar shaped 
feet,” arwi defendant said, “ Yes, he has; but he has never 
been lame.” The horse had done all kinds of work, on the 
hard road as well as in the fields, during the three years that 
he (defendant) had had him, and he never saw or heard that 
the animal was lame. 
Judge .—That is of no consequence if he was sold unsound. 
Mr. Kennett .—But there is no warranty. 
Judge .—Yes, there is; in the letter. 
Mr. George Coomber, a veterinary surgeon of thirtyrtwo years’ 
standing, at Worthing, and a Member of the Royal College of 
Veterinary Surgeons, said he had heard the evidence on the 
other side, and thought that the veterinary surgeons had not 
minutely examined the excrescence spoken of. He had mi¬ 
nutely examined it; and it did not interfere at all with the 
joints, or in any way cause lameness. It was on the convex 
side of the cartilage, and did not affect the joint. It was not a 
bony substance, but horny fibre, and, at the College, this was 
not considered to constitute “ unsoundness.” 
The Judge asked whether, if the excrescence was an ossifi¬ 
cation, it would cause lameness ? 
The Witness said it would not. 
In answer to further questions, the witness said, new shoeing 
and running on a hard road might cause an appearance of 
lameness. 
Judge. —In your opinion, was the horse “ sound 1” 
Witness. —Perfectly sound. 
«/ 
In the course of a rather puzzling examination, the witness 
