34 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
permit. Prof. Fleming says, in a late number of the London 
Veterinary Journal , discussing this topic, “ That the question of 
unsoundness, and especially hereditary unsoundness, is one 
that demands serious consideration by the veterinary sur¬ 
geons, and an examination of the subject appears to be abso¬ 
lutely necessary in order to ascertain how many of the ideas 
pertaining to it rests on tradition or fancy and not on substan¬ 
tial facts. It is well to get rid of sentiment and theory when 
dealing with a matter that involves such large and serious in¬ 
terests as those connected with horse production and utiliza¬ 
tion.” 
Truer words than these were never written, and I trust it 
will be the pleasure of this Association to express its senti¬ 
ment regarding them. 
“No hoof, no horse” is an old aphorism. In modern 
times there are a thousand Ailments which go to say to many 
a horse-owner, “No so and so, no horse.” But the science of 
veterinary surgery is keeping pace with that designed for the 
curing of human ills. It is true that we have got no Koch 
lymph for instantaneously paralyzing those equine bacteridia 
known as botts, but through the noble efforts of our profes¬ 
sion we have rendered ease to dumb animals, preserved their 
lives to a career of usefulness, and improved man’s most faith¬ 
ful friend, so that in the time to come he will be like Shakes¬ 
peare’s horse so faithfully described in Venus and Adonis: 
Round hoof, short jointed, fetlocks shag and long, 
Round breast, full eye, small head and nostrils wide, 
High crest, short ears, straight legs, and passing strong, 
Thin mane, thick tail, broad buttock, tender hide, 
Look what a horse should have he did not lack 
Save a proud rider on so proud a back. 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH IN THE HORSE. 
By J. A. Johnson, D.Y.M., Odebolt, Iowa. 
Having had two cases of rupture of the stomach quite re¬ 
cently, and being unable to discover anything in the literature 
at my command touching the cases, I will report them with a 
view of eliciting an answer to the query. 
