62 
ROSCOE BELL. 
tion. Many imperfections are brought out thus which other¬ 
wise would escape our observation. 
Now what will we look for to constitute unsoundness ? 
As stated, we will begin at the head, and look for malforma¬ 
tions or diseases, employing all our special senses to help us. 
You are standing directly in front of the animal and you will 
note his age, which will display the natural or the artificial 
incisors; if he is a crib-biter; necrosis of the inferior maxilla 
at the interdental space, or caries of the teeth. Peering into 
the nostrils, we may find the pathological lesions of acute or 
chronic inflammation of the Schneiderian membrane ; suppura¬ 
tion of the maxillary sinuses, necrosed bones, the ulcerations 
of glanders, or the petechias of purpura hemorrhagica. 
Dropping the hand into the intermaxillary space, we feel its 
bony walls for evidences of osteo-porosis or other diseases or 
abnormalities ; and running along the bottom of the hyoid 
space our hand may come in contact with the hot and pain¬ 
ful fluctuating abscess of rhino-adenitis, or the indurated, 
nodulated adherent swelling of glanders. While stopping a 
moment here, you have an opportunity of getting the move¬ 
ment of the pulse as the glosso-facial artery turns around the 
rami of the inferior maxilla. Standing there we will examine 
very carefully each eye, comparing one with the other, and 
if our ocular inspection be not absolutely satisfactory the 
ophthalmoscope will be indispensable, especially so if there is 
suspicion of periodic ophthalmia, noting the changes in the 
lens, the vitrous humor, and the circulation. 
Mounting to the occiput, one finger will slip into the ear 
for foreign bodies or neoplasms and pass back over the poll for 
fistula or the cicatrix of a past one. The hand then seizes the 
larynx in search of anatomical imperfections, and by a gentle 
squeeze we test its walls for ossification of the cartilages; and 
at the same time will be rewarded by an involuntary cough, 
which may reveal much that will assist us in determining 
the physiology of the lungs and throat. A look at the paro¬ 
tid region may reveal marks of setons, cicatrization of evacu¬ 
ated abcesses, or traces of blisters, which would give you the 
history of a past larnygitis. Pressure of the finger in the 
