OF FARKIERY. 



(17 



CHAPTER IX 



RHEUMATISM, ANTICOR, LAMPAS, WARBLES, SITFASTS, BRUISES, AND 



BARBS. 



RHEUMATISM. 



Rheumatism in Horses has been but little 

 treated on ; l)y not more than one or t\\ o 

 English writers, though the French have 

 written considerably on the subject ; and in 

 all probabihty, this was the cause of drawing 

 the attention of the veterinarian to the subject. 

 This disease is characterized by fever, pains 

 in the joints, increased by the action of the 

 muscles belonging to the joint, the disease fre- 

 quently flying to one joint, then to another, 

 and most frequently in young Horses. In 

 aged Horses the back and loins become the 

 parts principally affected ; the Horse going 

 stiff, scarcely able to turn, and his legs moving 

 under him more like jointless props than legs. 

 It is frequently preceded by shivering, heat, 

 thirst, and frequent pulse ; and some persons, 

 from these symptoms, are apt to be led to 

 think that inflammation of the lungs had 

 taken place. However, the young surgeon 

 must not be deceived by th ese appearances ; 

 for after the above symptoms the pain soon 

 commences and fixes on the joints. 



Rheumatism may occur by pain in the 

 jomts without fever, and this mostly with 

 feoach or hack-horses, from being ridden or 

 driven hard, until they perspire very much. 



and are afterwards allowed to stand in a draft 

 of wind. Rheumatism may arise at all times of 

 tlie year, when there are frequent vicissitudes 

 of the weather, from iieat to cold. Obstructed 

 perspiration is the principal cause which pro- 

 duces rheumatism. I have in my notes an 

 account of one Horse affected with sciatica, 

 a species of rheumatism, which he caught all 

 of a sudden. The gentleman to whom he be- 

 longed, had been riding rather sharp in the 

 month of xMarcii. On coming home, he turned 

 his Horse into the stable, his groom at the 

 moment being otherwise employed ; however, 

 on the man going to the stable, he immedi- 

 ately led the Horse to a pond in the yard to 

 water : consequently he received so sudden a 

 chill from the cold water, and tiie wind being: 

 cold at that season of the year ; added ta which, 

 the dilatory manner in which grooms work at 

 their Horses, that an attack of sciatica was the 

 consequence ; which was shown by the Horse 

 first lifting up one hind leg, then the other, 

 and especially in wet weather and after strong 

 exercise. In the above case, I observed the 

 Horse's urine to be always thick and muddy, 

 made in small quantities, and that frequently. 

 This I consider a case of confirmed chronic 

 rheumatism. The Horse was purchased by a. 

 coach proprietor for little more than half his 

 2 a 



