32 
A. DRINKWATER. 
a patient. To strike the golden mean of a certificate regard¬ 
ing the comparative soundness or unsoundness of an animal 
is a subject which I think of importance, and which could be 
profitably discussed at this meeting. Mistakes and oversights 
may happen to the most skillful in making an examination, no 
matter how thorough and exhaustive it may be from every 
standpoint, and by every scientific test known to the profes¬ 
sion ; and back of all this comes in the matter of undeveloped 
hereditary disease, and which, under certain circumstances, 
may appear a dozen hours after the examination pronounced 
favorable, and yet which may end fatally or permanently im¬ 
pair the usefulness of the animal. It is therefore asking a 
great deal of the veterinary surgeon to give an unqualified 
certificate of soundness for any animal. As you well know, 
horses are subject to periodical diseases, which are not ap¬ 
parent at a diagnosis unless the animal in suffering from them 
at the time of the examination. How can we determine by 
any known method, as to latent staggers, ophthalmia, rheuma¬ 
tism, internal tumors of various kinds and many other diseases 
which are liable to occur, under the right circumstances, at 
any time, like periodic lameness, partial luxation of the pa¬ 
tella, or navicular arthritis. A horse may be suffering from 
the latter disease for quite a period without exhibiting a sign 
of lameness. 1 have seen horses which were driven every 
day for months without showing lameness or fever, and yet 
in the stable would continually keep shifting the foot from 
one position to another indicating pain therein, and which 
after a time developed into an unmistakable case of navicular 
arthritis. Yet a careful examination by a veterinary surgeon 
in the early stages of this trouble would not have developed 
any information of its existence. Periodic ophthalmia is also 
another very common disease impossible to detect unless the 
animal has had more than one attack. It leaves no trace be¬ 
hind which science can detect unless, as I have said, the affec¬ 
tion is chronic. Yet this disease of the eye is almost certain 
to eventually ruin the sight, entirely or partly. Again, horses 
will have periodic attacks of colic from various causes and 
get over them without leaving a trace which the veterinary 
