been debilitated or emaciated, neither has he exhibited any lassitude or disinclination to play with his associates. He became lame when about three months old, and exhibited hard osseous tumors at the lower epiphyses of the metatarsals and metacarpals, first appearing in one leg, remaining a few months, disappearing slowly and imperfectly only to reappear in another. Later, the lower epiphyses of radii and tibiæ suffered in a like manner, giving rise to enlargements of considerable size, which, like those of the cannon bones, have slowly disappeared. The last appearance of lameness was in one fore foot, where it has persisted now for more than a year.

This series of cases demonstrate reasonably well the symptoms and progress of rhachitis in the horse, and we believe serves to connect into one group, in a tangible manner, the varied phenomena observed in different individuals, and which, by various writers, have been separated into different affections.

The celebrated Jadelot cranium bears a striking resemblance in many essential points to the rhachitic facial and cranial bones often seen in our patients.

The differential diagnosis of rhachitis in the horse is comparatively easy. It may be confounded: First, in quite young animals with pyo-septhæmia or omphalo-phlebitis of newborn foals, which usually has a more or less clear history, develops as a rule within a few days or weeks after birth, generally shows some slight indication of infection at the umbilicus, the joint complications are more sudden and severe, and the epiphyses of the long bones are not affected.

Second, in animals of diverse age, accompanied by lameness or stiffness of neck, with articular rheumatism, which is more sudden in its onset than rhachitis, more prone to metastasis, and affects the joint, not the epiphysis.

Third, in cases of facial enlargement, with odontomes, or other dental affections, which, unlike rhachitis, are seldom symmetrical, and rarely show in that part of the face most prone to rhachitic change, are usually sharply defined in outline and, except respiration or mastication is interrupted, they rarely affect the general condition of the animal unfavorably.

Fourth, in those cases of cervical rhachitis, with cervical articular glanders, which is more sudden and severe in its onset and usually exhibits laryngeal or pulmonary symptoms (cough) or farcy.

The etiology of rhachitis is not yet definitely determined. Climate,

1 Journal of Comparative Medicine and Surgery, vol. x, 1889.

altitude, geological formation, species, breed, food, and housing seem incompetent to prevent it, as sporadic cases appear every where. And yet there is something about food and environment which makes the disease common in one locality, rare in others. It has not been recorded in free wild animals and birds, while those confined in zoological gardens suffer very seriously from its ravages. In the crowded tenements of London it proves a veritable scourge among the children of the poor, and yet it appears, although far less rarely, in the homes of the wealthy and under the best known sanitary regulations. It seems also that in those localities where rickets prevails it confines its ravages mainly to one species of animals. In one locality it apparently affects mainly cattle, in another, pigs, in another, colts. The character of the available literature gives no clue to the grounds for this apparently peculiar condition. Possibly it may be due to the fact that the disease attacks mostly that species of animal to which most attention is paid in a given locality, and hence a higher state of domestication and more confining environments.

Roloff and others have produced the disease by experimental feeding of animals on food deficient in lime and phosphorus, thus producing experimental lime starvation, while on the other hand the Kleie or Krusch-Krankheit of the Swiss veterinarians is brought about by feeding bran or pollard, which is excessively rich in the earthy constituents of bone, and the rhachitis of horses in central Illinois cannot be referred to a lack of these earthy salts where they get an abundance in both food and water.

Another evidence that it is not phosphorus or lime starvation is the fact that in the active stages of the disease an extraordinary amount of these salts are being constantly eliminated as calcium carbonate in the urine and the phosphates, probably in the feces in solipeds and possibly other animals; while in those animals which normally excrete phosphates in the urine, the superexcretion of these constitute. one of the most constant and pathognomonic signs.

We must consequently conclude that the disease is not so much due to lime starvation as to mal assimilation of the ingested salts along with a solution and resorption of the osseous tissue already formed. The exact character of this process is the most stubborn and yet the most important question now confronting us in the study of this malady. The etiology of the disease being in doubt, renders our efforts at therapeutics at least uncertain, if not impotent. Many writers have commended the administration of phosphates, but when the excretory organs are already overtaxed in throwing out these

salts, it seems folly to furnish more to be excreted, and in fact, clinical experience has failed to discern benefit from this line of treatment. Cod-liver oil has long been considered the best remedial measure known, although its action seems not to be understood. Locally, much can be done at times to relieve urgent or unfavorable symptoms. In cervical rhachitis, vesicants and cautery seem to afford relief. Tenotomy may prove necessary in case of contractions of the flexor tendons. Iodine blisters may exert a favorable influence in checking bony deposits during the convalescing stage.

DISCUSSION.

The cases were almost identiThere was the enlargement of the colt died the limbs softened

Dr. MILLER: I wish to say that I consider it one of the best papers on that subject I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I was interested in the case of a colt which was similar to the case cited. I had under my treatment a similar case. cal. The colt belonged to Dr. Agnew. the bones and everything else. Before so that the legs separated at the joints. The Doctor would not allow the colt to be killed, as he wanted to keep it in the interest of science, simply to see how long the colt could live in that condition. The colt lived thirty-six hours after the legs began to drop off. The bones were placed in a barrel, and there are many that have already crumbled and gone to pieces.

Dr. FAUST: The hour is too late to give this paper a full discussion. This is the first time to my knowledge that I ever heard in the English literature that these three diseases were identical in their pathology. I refer to "rhachitis," "osteoporosis," and "osteomalacia." My heart jumped for joy when I found somebody to think as I had thought, and as I have found universally accepted in the best German works.

Dr. BERNS: I was very much interested in it, and I think a good, thorough discussion on the subject would be not only interesting but beneficial to all. But as the hour is getting so late I would prefer that the discussion lay over until our next meeting. The paper is a lengthy one. We need more time to study it carefully, and such study will conduce to a more intelligent discussion when the matter comes up again. I hope the discussion will be laid over until the next meeting.

The PRESIDENT: If there is no objection it will go over. I think the suggestion is a good one. I agree with what Dr. Faust has said. I am glad that someone has made public the identity of the three diseases.

THE IDENTIFICATION OF ANIMALS.

BY R. S. HUIDEKOPER, V.S.

THERE is, perhaps, no part of veterinary practice or animal commerce in which there is a greater want of method, laxness in detail, and carelessness in recording than in the description of the subjects handled and in the noting of points which will establish the future identification of an animal. For the ordinary layman an equine is a horse or a mule, a bovine a cow, and a canine a dog, irrespective of age, color, sex, or condition of servitude. A stallion is a rarity, a steer is a beef animal, and by many a bitch, bull, or gelding is not considered as mentionable in polite society. This inattention to definite terms leads not only to vagueness in veterinary writings, but also frequently causes the writer to commit errors in English which could have been avoided by a definite fixation of the subject

matter.

In the description of an animal for veterinary purposes, whether in an expert examination for soundness, in judging, or in a legal controversy, or in a clinical description, or for registration in a studbook, a definite course of examination and a methodical system of recording should be observed. If this is done, and the written description follows the same form in every case, it educates the observer to note the small and sometimes apparently trivial differences which at times are the important points upon which an identification is based.

The table below outlines the course to be followed in an ordinary record of the identification of an animal:

I. DESCRIPTION OF ANIMAL.

a. Species of animal, race, family;

b. Sex;

c. Age;

d. Height and weight;

e. Color;

f. Accidental markings;

II. DESCRIPTION OF ABNORMAL OR PATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS.

With the domesticated animal, custom has established certain specific terms which define species, sex, and age; and these should be used according to their exact meaning, and with no other meaning, so far as possible, in all expert writings.

GENUS EQUUS; Species Caballus. Specific term, Horse. The animal is a foal, irrespective of sex, from birth until weaned; a weanling, when weaned until it becomes a yearling.

The male animal is a colt, until the mouth is made, or until castrated; custom has, however, accepted the first indication of the corner teeth of four years as the age at which he becomes a horse; a gelding, after castration, at any age; a horse or stallion after the mouth is made, or earlier, if he stands for service; a ridgling, if one testicle has not descended to the scrotum. The female is—a filly, until the mouth is made or until bred; a mare, after the mouth is made, or sooner if bred.

Species Asinus. Specific term, Ass. The ass is a foal until weaned; after that the male animal is a jack; the female animal is a jenny. The male mule is known as a jack mule, irrespective of gelding, and the female as a jenny mule. The hybrid foal of the male ass and the inare is the true mule. That between the stallion and the female ass is called the hinny.

GENUS BOS; Species Domesticus. Specific term, Neat Cattle. The animal is-a calf until six months old (the natural time for weaning); a bullock is a young bull, or any male of the ox kind; a bull is the male animal; a "steer is the castrated male of neat cattle. He is called an ox calf, or bull calf, until he is twelve months old, a steer until he is four years old, and after that an ox or bullock" (vide Youatt); an ox "steer"; a stag is a castrated male; a heifer is the female until bred, or until the mouth is made; a cow is the female after breeding, or when the mouth is made.

GENUS OVIS; Species Aries. Specific term, Sheep. The animal is a lamb until a year old; a ram or a tup, when male over eighteen months old, and has its first intermediate permanent teeth ; a ewe, when female over eighteen months old, and has its first intermediate teeth; a wether, when a castrated male; a hog-hogget is the young sheep before it has been shorn.

GENUS CAPRA; Species Hircus. Specific term, Goat. The animal is--a kid, until a year old; a billy is the male; a nanny is the female.