540 THE HORSE. 
Jame from this cause. Too often it is not suspected until irreparable 
nuschief is done, the elasticity of the laminz being destroyed, and the 
foot having assumed a shape which utterly unfits it for bearing tho 
pressure of the shoe upon hard roads. When the disease has been gomg 
on for a long time, the elastic substances between the laminz and the 
pedal bone, as well as the fine horny lamellee between them and the crust, 
lose the property of extension, and the horn of the crust is secreted by 
nature of a more spongy character, and much thicker in substance, than 
in health. On making a section of such a foot, the arrangement of parts 
will be such as is here delineated in fig. 1, in which 1 is the os suffraginis, 
2, the os coronz, and 3, the pedal bone, with its anterior surface separated 
from that of the crust (7) by a wide space occupied by spongy matter. 
Here the toe of the pedal bone projects into the sole and renders it 
convex, instead of being concave, and corresponding with the lower 
surface of the pedal bone. 
The laminz and elastic sub- 
stances between them and their 
contiguous structures no longer 
suspend the pedal bone to the 
erust, but the weight falls partly 
upon the sole by means of the 
toe of the pedal bone, and partly 
on the frog, which descends so 
tow that in spite of the thickness 
of the shoe it touches the ground. 
This descent of the frog is a very 
marked feature in laminitis, and 
whenever it is apparent that 
disease may be suspected. 
3UT TO PRODUCE SUCH A 
MARKED ALTERATION OF FORM as 
is here delineated and described 
Fia. 1.—SEcTION OF THE Foot IN CONFIRMED 
_,  LaAmInitis. ; 
1. Os suffraginis. takes a long time, and even 
2. Os corone. a. cS 
3. Pedal bone. then it is only in a few cases 
fo REGED soit that the disease reaches to this 
5. Frog. as 
6. Sole. stage. It will, therefore, be 
it 
Wall or crust greatly thickened. necessary to trace its progress 
from the commencement, and the effects which are exhibited as it 
goes on. 
WHEN ACUTE LAMINITIS SETS IN, there is a considerable amount of 
fever, indicated by a rapid pulse, usually full and hard, and hurried re- 
spiration, There is a general look of restlessness from pain, the horse 
stamping gently with his feet, and constantly lying down and then 
getting up again. When, as usually happens, the fore feet only are 
affected, the hind feet are brought under the body to bear as much weight 
as possible, and the fore feet are so carried forwards that the heels support 
the legs rather than the toes. On examining the feet, there is great 
reluctance to allow one to be picked up, on account of the necessity 
which is thrown upon the other of taking the whole weight of the fore 
quarter. The ccronet and hoof feel very hot, and, when wetted, may be 
seen to steam very perceptibly. If this state of things is not speedily 
stopped, the laminz cease to secrete horn, and the connexion betweer. 
them and the hoof ceases, causing the latter to separate, and the sensible 
parts to be exposed, covered with a thin scaly horn. This has happened 
