VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
253 
Just explain the nature of navicular disease?—Navicular disease con¬ 
sists of a sprain of the flexor tendon as it passes over the navicular bone of 
foot—a sprain of the fibres as they pass over the navicular bone of the 
foot. You can see if it is a recent case. There is very often acute 
lameness, and increased heat of the foot, and several other symptoms 
which indicate the presence of a recent injury. But in the more chronic 
cases a horse will sometimes go nearly altogether sound and travel well 
until he is really at work, and then he becomes lame. Tor instance, it is 
a common thing for horses with navicular disease, if they are poulticed 
and taken care of, to trot out quite sound—comparatively sound; but 
give them a gallop, or a ride of ten miles on the road, and allow the 
horse to stand a short time, and then bring him out. and he will be 
lame. 
On the 19th of December, when you first saw him, was the lameness of 
a recent character, in your judgment?—I should say not. I do not be¬ 
lieve it was. 
How far back would you carry that lameness ?—I should not like to 
fix a definite period to it; but certainly more than a month or six weeks. 
I thought so. I could not pretend to speak positively to it. 
Was there any appearance of acute disease that you could see on the 
19th of December?—Not the least. 
If you knew, as a fact, that on the 20th of November, the horse went 
lame in your judgment, would you attribute it to the same lameness ? 
—I should. 
That is, if you were told that he was lame on the 20th ?—Yes. 
When did you see him last?—Friday last, the 26th of February, I 
examined his foot then. He was then lame, and I examined him carefully, 
with a view to give an opinion as to his then state. I say, then (as I 
have always said), that it is a chronic case of navicular disease, without 
a question or doubt in my mind. 
What were your charges ?—I do not know. 
Some £3 17.?. is put down.—I dare say they would be that at least. 
When did Mr. Thompson pay you those charges ?—I do not know. 
You cannot say without your books ?—No. 
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant O'Brien: —The horse did not remain 
on my premises on the 19th of December only while I examined him. 
He would be there about two hours. I was not examining him during- 
the whole of that time. I told Mr. Thompson, on the 19th, that I believed 
he had navicular disease. I did not give a certificate on the 19th to 
that effect. I signed and gave a certificate on that day as to lameness. 
Mr. Thomas Greaves, V.S., examined by Mr. Beaseley , gave evidence as 
follows : 
I am a veterinary surgeon, residing at Manchester, and am also an office 
holder in the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons : and was vice-president 
of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons; I am also an 
honorary fellow of the Veterinary Medical Association. I saw this chestnut 
gelding on the 7th of March last year. I am not quite sure whether it 
was the 7th or the lOtli I examined the horse, and gave a certificate of 
my opinion. It is now before me. [Producing the same.] I made a careful 
examination of the horse, and the conclusion I came to was that the seat 
of lameness was the navicular joint. It had become chronic at that time. 
The navicular disease, when it commences, is in an acute state for some 
time, until the synovia of the joint is exhausted and it has become 
chronic; there is also going on a slow, gradual, and by imperceptible 
degrees a change in the internal structure of the navicular bone itself; 
the articular surface upon the navicular bone, and upon the articular 
