ARMY VETERINARY REPORTS. 
465 
centage of cavalry horses during a comparatively short service. 
But is it possible, with the inspectors generally appointed, to 
get only such horses as have no symptoms of this disease ? With¬ 
out hesitation I answer emphatically, No ; it is not possible. Of 
all the inspectors, excepting only the Veterinary Surgeons, of 
whom I have had any knowledge, not one has been competent to 
detect the disease at all. Some, perhaps the majority, have never 
even heard of it. Neither do horse-men, breeders, dealers, etc., 
know what the disease is. 
That sidebones is a very prevalent defect in horses and 
mules in the western States, is evident from the large number of 
cases which appear in the animals presented to the Government 
for purchase. The animals we are called upon to inspect for cav¬ 
alry purposes are particularly selected by the contractors, witli an 
eye to'soundness of the fore feet; and yet I think it safe to say, 
judging from an inspection of about 2,000 horses, that at least 20 
per cent, have sidebones of various sizes. If I mistake not, Veter¬ 
inary Surgeon Glover of the English Army Veterinary Depart¬ 
ment remarked on the frequency of this disease, among the ani¬ 
mals presented to him for inspection, on the occasion of his visit to 
St. Louis in the early part of 1880. 
That the great cause for the frequency of this disease in this 
part of the country, is due to the breeding of the poorest mares, 
is susceptible, 1 think, of the most ready proof. Mares rendered 
almost useless for purposes of labor from the presence of large 
sidebones, ringbones, spavins, and blindness as a result.of period¬ 
ic ophthalmia, are considered, not only the most available but 
those best adapted for breeding purposes. As a consequence a 
large per centage of colts are congenitally diseased or inherit 
strong predispositions to these and similar diseases. 
Considering the prevalence of this disease of sidebonc, the in¬ 
ference is that inability on the part of inspectors to detect it must, 
in part at least, account for the frequency of its occurrence in 
cavalry horses. Nor is this an unwarranted inference, for I have 
seen many cases of sidebones passed by inspectors and the affect¬ 
ed animals sent to do service. That they can rarely remain ser¬ 
viceable for more than a short period of time, especially in our 
