168 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



front feet, though it sometimes invades the hind ones, when the symptoms 

 will be very diiferent in certain particulars. 



When both front feet are affected, the animal will be generally found stand- 

 ing, with its back arched, and hind feet carried forward, towards the center 

 of the body, in order that the weight of it may be borne as much as possible 

 by them, and removed from the fore feet. This peculiar attitude often leads 

 the casual observer to think that the animal is strained across the loins. 



If the animal is required to move, it will do so with more or less reluc- 

 tance, stumbling as it goes ahead, or dragging its front feet in an awkward 

 manner if required to back up. The pulse has a very plain throbbing feel- 

 ing to the finger, is full and bounding, and somewhat quickened. Another 

 peculiarity about the pulse is, that it can be plainly felt upon the side of the 

 leg near the fetlock, and I do not know of another disease where this peculiar 

 condition of the circulation is so plainly exhibited. The breathing will be 

 accelerated, often to such a degree as to lead one not familiar with the 

 malady to suppose that some derangement of the organs of respiration is at 

 work. The muscles in front of the breast appear wasted, from the attitude 

 of the animal, though. The pain of the disease is sometimes so great as to 

 cause tetanic convulsions, or twitching of many of the muscles beneath the 

 skin. I have seen cases where animals were lying down when first visited, 

 and pawing and groaning to such an extent as might easily lead one to sup- 

 pose that they were suffering from colic or some other enteric disease, hence 

 the necessity for getting an animal upon its feet before forming an opinion 

 as to the disease it is suffering from. I might add that the standing posture 

 is the best one to examine a horse either in health or disease. 



When the hind feet are the seat of the disease, the symptoms will be some- 

 what different, the horse will, to use a common expression, "stand all in a 

 heap," the fore feet being extended backwards and the hind feet carried 

 forwards. If the animal is required to walk, it will do so in a peculiar spring- 

 halty, automatic sort of a way. When the hind feet are affected animals 

 often lie down, which attitude must afford them great relief. I have noticed 

 that when animals assume the recumbent position while suffering from this 

 disease, they invariably make a more rapid and thorough recovery, so of 

 course this attitude should always be encouraged. 



THE TKEATMENT 



of this disease materially depends upon the cause, and if it has been pro- 

 duced by spontaneous dirrhoea or the abuse of purgative medicine, anything 

 which will tend to unduly increase the action of the bowels, should be care- 

 fully avoided, and those remedies which are used to allay pain and reduce 

 fever may be given with advantage. For these purposes I found great benefit 

 from the use of tincture of Aconite, given in doses of about ten to fifteen 

 drops in a few ounces of Avater every two hours, until four or five doses have 

 been given. The Aconite may be followed by Nitrate of Potash in two drachm 

 doses, dissolved in half a pint of water every four hours, for from two to four 

 days. On the other hand, if the disease is the result of an overloaded condi- 

 tion of the bowels, the superfluous food may be gotten rid of by the aid of 

 laxatives, say twenty-five fluid ounces of raw linseed oil, will generally answer. 

 The animal should not have anything in the shape of solid food, such as hay 

 or straw, for at least twenty-four hours after the oil is given, but the diet 



