46 
H. D. HANSON. 
EXAMINATION FOR SOUNDNESS. 
By Prof. H. D. Hanson, New York City. 
A Paper read before the Veterinary Medical Association of New York County, March 
1 ^ 97 - 
The subject of the examination for soundness is not a new 
one to you, but as it is very interesting, as well as important, I 
have selected it in order to try to excite discussion and bring 
out some of the important points that I have only touched upon^ 
or have omitted. My paper is short, being only a rough outline 
of the subject, as time will not permit a lengthy discourse. 
In my opinion, the subject of the examination for sound¬ 
ness, ought to be considered by veterinarians as follows : Firsts 
theoretical soundness ; and, second, practical soundness. 
Theoretical soundness rarely, if ever, exists, which should 
be remembered in making our examinations ; this being the 
case, we, as veterinarians, have to be contented, and are com¬ 
pelled to make use of the term practical soundness, which 
should be defined to be that condition existing which is the 
nearest approach to a perfectly sound horse. 
Before proceeding any further, it is well to understand the 
meaning of “ soundness.” In defining a sound horse, it be¬ 
comes necessary to combine in a few words that which is diffi¬ 
cult or almost impossible, as the extremes would consume many 
pages. Suffice it to say, that a sound horse is one that is 
free from all disease and has nothing about him that interferes, 
or is likely to interfere, with his usefulness, or depreciate his 
value as a sound horse. 
Taking the above definition and the conditions really exist¬ 
ing in practice, what do we find, and how are we to proceed ? 
In the first place, we find that theoretical soundness rarely, if 
ever, exists ; second^ that practical soundness is what we have to 
deal with ; thirds that a horse must be free from all disease that 
renders him unable to do his kind of work as a sound horse 
should ; fourth^ that certain conditions may be present which in 
a shorter or longer time are likely to render him unfit to do the 
