66 
ROSCOE BELL. 
soundness of itself, but possibly connected with former lame¬ 
ness. At the coxo-femoral joint evidences of counter-irrita¬ 
tion having been applied to overcome positive or fancied dis¬ 
ease of this region. Passing the hand down the femur, we 
reach the stifle, and failing to find anything abnormal, we pro¬ 
ceed to that seat of dissention known as the hock. We will 
remember just here that a healthy hock consists of skin, bone 
and a few tendons ; anything superfluous is abnormal. Around 
at the internal and anterior aspect of the region, we may dis¬ 
cover a dilation of the synovial membrane of the tibio-tarsal 
articulation, constituting the ordinary blood or bog spavin ; 
or the lesion may be of the tendinous sack of the tendo- 
Achilles, forming a thoroughpin. At the posterior surface we 
will look for exostoses and curbs. There is as little unani¬ 
mity of opinion among veterinarians upon the soundness of 
horses possessing these defects as there exists among astrono¬ 
mers as to the distance of the furthest fixed star. It is, of 
course, unnecessary for me to speak of exostoses on the inter¬ 
nal aspect of the hock joint, as 1 think the profession is a unit 
in condemning every animal possessing such an addition to 
his anatomy. Personally, I not only reject an animal when 
they are present, but will not tolerate the suspicion of 
such a condition. There is another thing to be carefully 
watched for, and that is the presence of stringhalt. Whatever 
the pathological lesion may be, it is an unsoundness, and it is 
sometimes so slight in its incipiency that we may overlook it. 
Therefore the first movements of the animal in backing out 
of the stall are of special importance to us, and a quick turn 
of the animal may produce the symptom where it is latent in 
the forward movements. 
If chronic scratches of the front of the hock is not an un¬ 
soundness, it is a great nuisance, and it should be condemned 
along with chronic greasy heels. Below the hock we have 
about the same conditions as met with in the anterior ex¬ 
tremity, only that interfering is better characterized. Puffy 
swellings may exist at the fetlocks, and the foot should be ex¬ 
amined, especially to note if shod for interfering or over¬ 
reaching. 
