The Portland daily press., 1877-01-31
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Laneness i'm Herscs.

The discovery of navicular disease by the
late Mr., James Tuoner makes an epoch in
the history of veterinary surgery. Up to that
time obscure forms of lameness were alway;
referred to the chest or shoulder, or to some
other part of the limbs, which is, in reality
exempt from diseases altogether, or at least
very rarely attacked. 1t has long been known
that working horses were subject to defective
action in the fore limbs of peculiar character.
The animals movements indicated stiffness
and difficulty of advancing the fore feet suf-
6ciently, so that the steps are remarkably
short. At the same time the rider or driver
perceived a laboring action of the shoulder,
and in cases of long standing the muscles o
the breast were shrunken, and the front Of
chest become narrow and contracted. This
form OF lameness was commonly known as
''chest founder" or "grogginess," and it wa
believed that the defective action was due tC
loss of power in the muscles of the font ol
the chest, the pectoral region. No very ex-
act notion seems to have been entertained OF
the nature Of the disease, and there are nc
records OF post-mortem examinations being
made to ascertain what changes had occurred
In the parts which were assumed to be the
seat of the disorder.
In old farrier's lore chest founder was a
disease to which horses were subject, and
easily recognized by an experienced observer.
Nearly forty years ago Mr.. Turner publish
ed small pamphlet, in which he give the
results OF his Investigations into the nature
and origin of the 'sgroggy" lameness which
was SO prevalent among horses working in
larger towns. Failing to discover anything
to account for the lameness in the muscles of
the chest, Mr.. Turner directed his attention
to the foot, an organ which had engaged his
special attention for many years. His inquiry
was rewarded by the discovery of the disease
in the smallest bone in the foot, structure
which had hitherto been looked Upon as one
OF trifiing Importance, but which suddenly as
sumed prominent position, which it had
since retained.
Unlike most discoveries of value, that made
by Mr.. Turner was received without opposi-
ton; indeed, his facts were SO clearly estab-
llshed by numerous dissections, and the ex-
plantations of a disease which had always
been obscure in its nature, was so simple and
satisfactory, that there was no room for cavil-
ing, and the disease was generally introduced
among the list of maladies of the horses, and
the name of its discoverer is hardly remem-
bered.
The navicular bone is distinguished among
the bones of the foot as the smallest, and as
having the greatest extent Of farticular surface,
that is to say, it contributes to the formation
of more joints than either of the other bones
in the organ. 1t is situated at the back of
the pedal bone, with which it unites by its
anterior edge. Its upper portion helps to
form the principal joints in the foot-that be-
tween the pedal bene and short pestern-and
its posterior surface forms point with the
tendon, which passes down the back of the
leg, and is inserted into the bottom of the
coffin bone. This concise description will give
an idea of the relations of the navicular bone
with the other foot-structure; but it is need
less to observe that perfectly correct view of
the foot can only be obtained bya careful
dissection.
When the animals weight is thrown on the
fore-feet in the ordinary movements of the
body, the tendon which passes over the back
of the navicular bone is brought into close
contact with it, and it will readily be under
stood that constant and often rapid move
ments on hard roads will have the effect of
sitting up irritation in the structure of the
bone, which is so situated as to be most ex-
posed to conclusion. Mr.. Turner ascribes
navicular disease to two principal causes-a
system OF shoeing which did not allow of ex-
pansion, and keeping horses standing in stalls
the floors OF which were so inclined that un-
due weight would be thrown on the fore-feet-
We shall endeaver to show however, that
other canses are in common operation to pro-
duoe the disease.-Agricultural Gazette.