140 
PATHOLOGY OF STRINGHALT. 
No. 3; according to his statement, had ulceration of the articu¬ 
lar surfaces of both hocks, attended with lameness of the off— 
I expect of the near one also—and stringhalt of the near limb. 
This may have been so, but I doubt, nevertheless, if the 
stringhalt was due to ulceration. 
Dr. Busteed further says, “ I certainly did not wish to 
be understood as stating that the cartilage was primarily 
ulcerated, or that it is sensitive, or that vessels can be traced 
into it when in a healthy condition ; 55 and also that <( I 
cannot divest my mind of the existence of vessels in cartilage, 
as to do so 1 should have to consider it inorganic, which I 
do not/ 5 Surely the doctor would not consider articular 
«/ 
cartilage inorganic because no blood-vessels can be traced 
into its structure. This would be quite a new idea. 
He then says, “ I believe it must be supplied with vessels 
for its nourishment, and for its repair when diseased. 55 I may 
inform the doctor that if he again refers to some of his nu¬ 
merous books on histology, he will find it stated that articular 
cartilage is nourished from the vessels of the bone upon 
which it is placed. Or if he examine the structure of this 
tissue, and that of the bone beneath it, he will, I have no 
doubt, come to the same conclusion ; and that when cartilage 
is lost from disease or injury, it is not again repaired by car¬ 
tilage. Again, he says, “ I believe that wherever blood¬ 
vessels go, nerves will be found to accompany them. 55 Yes, 
so they do; but he has stated that he did not wish to be un¬ 
derstood that either vessels or nerves could be traced into the 
structure of articular cartilage. 
The doctor also quotes largely from Bar well on diseases 
of the joints, but I do not see that the quotations have any 
direct bearing on stringhalt, but have reference only to the 
structure of articular cartilage. I would refer the doctor to 
pages 12 and 13 of this work, and I think he will not find 
any evidence therein of the existence of vessels in this struc¬ 
ture. Again, at page 25 of Bar well 5 s work, which I find 
the doctor has consulted with reference to the nerves of a 
joint, no mention is made of nerves having been found in 
articular cartilage. At page 288 it is stated that Sir B. 
Brodie is said to have had “ some difficulty in getting rid of 
the idea of there being vessels in articular cartilage. 55 On 
referring to Sir B. Brodie 5 s work on diseases of the joints, 
I find at page ] 54, fifth edition , that he says, “ After the 
period of growth is concluded, no blood-vessels can be de¬ 
tected in healthy cartilage, even on microscopic examination. 55 
Also at page 155, when speaking of Mr. Liston 5 s opinion on 
this subject, he remarks, “ I do not mean to infer, nor did 
