OBSERVATIONS ON SOUNDNESS. 
211 
ditary predisposition on the part of an animal to contami¬ 
nate his produce with disease which exists in his own system. 
A great deal is often said by persons in courts of law as to 
hereditary predisposition. Some are of opinion, a disease 
—ringbone, for example—is one of this class; whilst others 
contend that it is sometimes, but not always. Who can 
settle such a question ? Surely, it may be argued, one man’s 
opinion is as good as another’s when neither has the power of 
proving his case by ocular, or other conclusive, demon¬ 
stration. It still is an open question as to whether many 
complaints are not indeed hereditary. Would it be too 
much to say that all diseases which are not really pro¬ 
duced by accidental or other well-definable causes , are here¬ 
ditary ? Iam very much inclined to this opinion. It is 
no proof of the iw-correctness of the theory, merely because 
every animal whose sire or dam was known to possess this 
or that infirmity does not at once become affected in a like 
manner. The exciting cause which most complaints wait for, 
may not have had its influence. My idea of diseases gene¬ 
rally is, that the system, prior to its becoming affected by 
any particular one, must be by some influence rendered or 
brought into a state to receive the taint. This will apply 
more directly to those diseases which are generally known as 
contagious and infectious; but, it also applies to most, if 
not all others. We may turn to one of our old authors and 
find the following truism with reference to ringbone: “ It 
proceedeth, as some farriers hold opinion, either from some 
blow of any horse, or by striking the horse’s foot against 
some stub or stone, or such like accident; but surely I hold, 
that also it proceedeth from some imperfection in nature; 
forasmuch as I have seen many foals foaled with ringbones 
on their feet; these ringbones do breed a viscous and slimy 
humour, which resorting to the bones that are of their own 
nature, cold and dry, waxeth hard, and cleaveth to some 
bone, and so in process of time becometh a bone.” Vide 
e Markham’s Masterpiece/ page 225. 
Every practitioner’s experience will no doubt afford the 
same evidence as regards the young animal being seen to 
suffer from these deposits soon after they see the light. 
With respect to treatment, it may not in this paper be out 
of place if a few words are said with reference thereto. 
Most veterinary surgeons pursue a similar mode by which 
these abnormal growths are attempted to be got rid of, I say 
attempted, because I believe but few ringbones are indeed re¬ 
moved. The author just named gives the practice of the old 
farriers ; that is to say, e( caustic applications, both potential 
