VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 295 
in my opinion, of navicular disease. I do not think the disease had 
come on recently. 
Cross-examined—I am of opinion that she had chronic navicular 
disease in both feet. Lameness is not always a necessary consequence 
of chronic navicular disease. As a hunting horse, it might be disagree¬ 
able to ride. I have been a member of the College, and in the profes¬ 
sion, five years. I served an apprenticeship at Quidhampton, with Mr. 
Daniel Tabor. I gave a written certificate of my examination, but 
do not think that I used the word “ lameness.” 
The certificate was put in and read. It was as follows : 
“ This is to certify that I have this day examined a bay mare for A. D. 
Hussey, Esq., and do pronounce her unsound, and must have been so 
at the time of purchase, from ossification of the lateral cartilage on the 
outside of the off fore leg. 
“ J. Truckle, V.S., 
“ Bridge-street, Salisbury. 
“ January 15th, 1859.” 
Mr. Norris —What is the predisposing cause of ossification of the 
cartilage ? 
Mr. Truckle —Concussion. 
Mr. Norris —That is fast galloping ? 
Mr. Truckle —Not of necessity. Of course there is concussion when 
a horse gallops. I never go out hunting, and therefore cannot say 
whether it is the practice for parties to pull lip when they come to 
roads. In riding through a cover a horse may strike its legs against 
stumps or stools. It is not an unlikely thing. If the blow was hard 
enough it might lead to inflammation. 
Mr. Norris —And would not inflammation affect the periosteum? 
Mr. Truckle —There is no periosteum over the lateral cartilage. 
Mr. Norris —As a professional man, do you mean to tell me that there 
is no periosteum there ? 
Mr. Truckle —1 do. You are not well up in anatomy. (Laughter.) 
Mr. Norris —We lawyers don’t understand your medical terms. 
What is it, then—the perichondrium ? 
Mr. Truckle —That is more like it. When passing over bone it is 
called the periosteum ; when over cartilage, the perichondrium. 
Mr. Norris —I shall learn something by and by. Well, does inflam¬ 
mation of the perichondrium invariably terminate in ossification of 
the cartilage ? 
Mr. Truckle —Frequently it does. It all depends whether the patient 
is subjected to treatment. If left to nature, you may get ossific matter; 
if medical treatment is resorted to, it may be averted. I cannot at this 
moment, bring to my mind a case of rapid ossification. 
Mr. Norris —How soon have you known a splint develope itself and 
become ossified ? 
Mr. Truckle —I have never made any notes on the subject. 
Mr. Norris —Have you not known a splint become completely ossified 
within a month ? 
Mr. Truckle —No. I do not say it cannot be—it is possible, but not 
very probable. I have never known, in cases of broken bone, such a 
union formed that the limb might be used in less than a month. 
Mr. Norris —Is it possible? 
Mr. Truckle —Break a man’s leg, and see how long it will be before 
he can get up again. 
Mr. Norris —That may be. But let me ask you whether you con- 
