SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
535 
ceptable. On the other hand, numerous or large cicatrices, with 
or without tumefaction, should be considered an unsoundness. 
Shoulder Tumors and Galls. —Galls of the shoulders are not 
to be considered serious unless the conformation of the shoulder 
is faulty and not suited for the work the animal is required to 
perform. Conformation of the shoulder is a point never to be 
overlooked in selecting a horse, especially draft and heavy har¬ 
ness horses. The shoulder should slope evenly from the carti¬ 
lage of prolongation to the coracoid apophysis and the collar 
seat should be broad and uninterrupted. Shoulder tumors are 
serious in that it requires prolonged idleness to cure them, and 
are therefore to be considered unsound. No horse having them 
should be accepted as sound. The loose variety occurring as 
hyperplastic condition of the dermis, while less painful, are "par¬ 
ticularly unsightly, and are prone to relapse after excision. 
They are common in mules and in horses in poor flesh. Often 
animals work without apparent inconvenience for years, but 
their appearance alone is sufficient reason to condemn the ani¬ 
mal. 
Capped Elbows or Shoe-Boils are either hygromata or fibro¬ 
mata. The latter constitute an unsoundness, while the former 
may be so trivial as to scarcely warrant such a decision. A large 
hygroma inclosed in a thick wall, of course, is serious, and must 
be dealt with accordingly, and besides it must not be forgotten 
that these tumors are very prone to recur because of the diffi¬ 
culty of removing the cause. 
Scars of Meso-Neurectomy .—The scar in itself can hardly be 
considered an unsoundness, but the mere fact that the operation 
had been performed will lead to the examination for a serious 
disease below if it had not already been discovered. I can 
hardly conceive how meso-nenrectomy could be performed for 
any condition not readily recognizable in a glance. 
Broken Knees , which of course refers to broken knees that 
have been healed. I would regard with suspicion any animal 
with this evidence, as it savors very much of chronic stumbling. 
If, however, one is satisfied the animal is not a chronic stum- 
bler, but sustained the injury by an unavoidable accident, and 
the scars are not unsightly, there could be no great harm in pass¬ 
ing the horse as sound. They are usually the result of an in¬ 
curable abnormality of the gait, which in many cases renders an 
otherwise valuable animal practically useless. 
Speedy Cuts. —The same principle will apply to speedy cuts. 
If due to unavoidable accident, and not to faulty conformation 
