In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 91 



contains a large excess of fibrine, the urine is excessively 

 acid, high coloured, and contains much uric acid, and 

 the remedy of the faculty in such cases is the treatment 

 by alkalis. . . . Since the system is saturated with 

 the acid, the most rational treatment is the alkalis, 

 and it is the most successful — bicarbonate of potass, 

 nitrate, bitartrate, and acetate. The symptoms of 

 laminitis are, that the horse stands in a fixed position ; if 

 confined to the fore feet, the symptoms are of that 

 peculiar character that they can hardly by any person 

 of experience be mistaken, " all of a heap" is the old 

 phrase used to denote the animal's position ; the pulse 

 is full, frequent, and remarkably hard, the respira- 

 tion seeming to sympathise with the pulse. The horse 

 places its hind feet under it in order to take the weight 

 of its body off the fore feet. It groans and moans 

 from the severity of the pain which in extreme cases 

 lays it prostrate. If forced to step forward it most 

 unwillingly does so ; and its method of accomplishing 

 it is expressive of no disease save laminitis. The feet 

 are hot and painful ; if one foot is held up, which in 

 some cases is very difficult to do, it can scarcely 

 stand upon the other ; it does not like to get up when 

 laid down, and if compelled, does so with great 

 difficulty, and it is very unwilling to move from one 

 place to another. Throbbing of the pastern arteries 

 is another well-marked symptom. The mouth is 

 parched, the mucus membranes vascular and scarlet 

 in colour ; parts of its body are in a state of tremor, 

 and it is continually changing the position of its feet in 

 search of relief. The pain is explained by a larger 



