SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
861 
SOCIETY MEETINGS, 
VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW 
YORK COUNTY. 
The resfular monthlv meeting^ was called to order bv Presi- 
dent Robertson at 8.30 p. m., Feb. i, 1899. The folloY\nng 
members responded to roll-call : Drs. Ackerman, Bell, J. S. Cat- 
tanach, Jr., Clayton, Delaney, Dickson, Ellis, Farley, Gill, Gren- 
side, Hanson, HacKellar, O’Shea, Robertson and Ryder. There 
were also present as visitors Drs. Bertram, Newport, R. I., Wal¬ 
ker and Mannix, Brooklyn, and 12 or 15 students from the two 
veterinary colleges. 
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and ap¬ 
proved. 
A quorum of the Board of Censors not being present, their 
meeting was deferred until after the reading of the first paper, 
which was presented by Dr. Ryder, entitled, “ Some Fine Points 
of Opinion in the Examination of Horses for Soundness,’’ as 
follows : 
‘‘examinations for soundness.” 
It is not my intention to-night to enter into a general detail 
of examining hordes for soundness, but to present to you briefly 
three points of unsoundness upon which we frequently disagree, 
which I cannot say is to our credit, taking into consideration 
our knowledge of these conditions. At the same time the great 
difference in opinion so often given by veterinarians is not 
likely to increase confidence and respect in our profession by 
the general public. 
Before taking up either of my points of unsoundness, I wish 
to say that my interpretation of the term “ sound horse ” is, an 
animal without acute or chronic pathological condition or le¬ 
sion ; “practical soundness,’’ an animal with a chronic patho- 
loeical lesion, but one which is not likelv to interfere with his 
usefulness. Under these definitions of soundness the conditions 
I am going to present to you will be unsound. 
Splints. —Adhering to the term sound, an animal with a 
splint must be condemned, but the question so often in dispute 
is, “ When can an animal with a splint be passed practically 
sound ? ” That we take into consideration several factors in 
reachinof a decision of this kind is admitted bv all, at the same 
time the public should know that certain factors do exist which 
mav either condemn or pass the animal practically sound. I will 
admit that a large number of horses are working every day and 
