520 
CASES IN PRACTICE. 
against a simple mud wall only eighteen inches thick, and 
which fell from the force of the shock, should fracture such a 
bone as the humerus is in the horse ? 
No. 3 .— Obesity of the Heart. 
Is this an acknowledged disease in the horse ? I was sent 
for about a week ago to see a troop-horse reported to have 
suddenly shown symptoms of serious illness. Before I 
reached the hospital, however, the horse was dead, though he 
had only been ill for half an hour. The farrier-serjeant told 
me the horse had commenced to breathe heavily and with 
difficulty; that he stood with his legs apart and head down, 
eyes staring wildly, and altogether looked greatly “ dis¬ 
tressed when he fell, he was strongly convulsed for some 
minutes, and then died. 
I made a post-mortem examination, and found chronic 
disease of the liver and spleen, the latter being more than 
twice its natural size; but this is often found out here. The 
only other abnormal state was a large accumulation of fat at 
the base of the heart and around the pericardium, the quan¬ 
tity being sufficient to press upon the aorta and the heart 
itself, and interfere with their action. Could this have been 
the cause of death, as it is said to be in man sometimes? I 
cannot account in any other way for the sudden death of the 
animal. He was fifteen years of age, and had done more 
than the average amount of hard work without ever showing 
symptoms of illness. Lately, however, it had been observed 
that he was not in such good condition as usual, but this was 
attributed to his getting old. 
No. 4.— Examination for Soundness. 
This horse was a Waler, for sale for £ 40, said to be eight 
years old, and sound. The seller agreed to my opinion being 
asked by the intending purchaser as to soundness and value. 
I examined the horse, and found him to be a stale old animal, 
at least fourteen years of age, and very unsound. He had a 
completely decayed incisor tooth, ossification of the lateral 
cartilages of both fore feet, a false quarter in the off hind 
hoof, and bone spavin in both hocks, causing stiffness and 
inability to flex those joints freely when trotting. I recom¬ 
mended his not being purchased at any price. The seller 
(whom I know pretty well) came to me afterwards, and in a 
tone of astonishment said, “ You don't mean to say my horse 
is really unsound, and not worth the price I asked ?" This 
