THE MICROSCOPE IN VETERINARY MEDICINE. 255 
depicted in the illustrations accompanying Mr. VarnelFs 
memoir. In the portions of the long bones which were ex- 
aminedj the Haversian canals were found to be of the ordi¬ 
nary size; but in various parts of the intervening bony 
tissue there were cavities filled with fat. A section of the 
lower jaw presented a totally different appearance, the osseous 
tissue being compressed to a remarkable degree in consequence 
of the extraordinary dilatation of the Haversian canals, which 
in respect of their size more nearly resembled the bony struc¬ 
ture, while the condensed osseous tissue might have been mis¬ 
taken for the Haversian canals. Neither in the case reported 
by Mr. Shave nor in the instances recorded by Mr. Varnell was 
the cause of the disease discovered. Nothing in the breeding 
or management of the horses threw the least light upon the 
origin of a most mysterious affection. The main facts of the case 
appear to be that several horses belonging to a large farmer 
and miller in Berkshire, one by one suffered from stiffness of 
movement, increasing to extreme lameness; and, finally, 
such constitutional irritation as to cause death. The disease 
endured for many months, and was confined to male horses 
and to one farm, none of the mares or fillies being attacked, 
and all the animals in the next farm escaping entirely. Most 
of the diseased horses.were bred by the owner, and all those 
which were attacked as well as those which remained healthy, 
were fed and in every particular treated in the same way. 
Since Professor VarnelPs elaborate memoir on this subject 
was published in the Veterinarian, no similar case of osseous 
disease has been met with, until a few months ago a goat 
was admitted to the College infirmary suffering from an 
obscure disease, principally indicated by loss of power of the 
masticatory muscles and general prostration. An examina¬ 
tion of the head led to the conviction that the lower jaw was 
fractured at the symphysis, as the two sides could be moved 
easily and independently of each other, and the animal had 
lost the power of closing the mouth. It was not thought 
desirable to attempt any treatment, and the animal was 
accordingly destroyed. 
Post-mortem examination of the carcase revealed no ab¬ 
normal condition of the organs, but when the flesh was 
removed from the skeleton all the bones were observed to be 
unnaturally yielding. The ribs could be bent until their 
ends were in contact without fracture occurring, and the 
bones of the head readily yielded to firm pressure of the 
finger. All the facial bones could be cut with a knife with¬ 
out difficulty, and even the most dense of the long bones 
bent under pressure. Portions of the lower jaw and also of 
