180 DISEASES OP THE HORSE. 



dram, water 1 quart. A course of bitter tonics (gentian 2 drams, 

 sulphate of iron 2 drams, daily) should be given, and a nutritious, 

 easily digested, and slightly laxative diet allowed. 



DROPSY OF THE AMNION. 



This differs from simple dropsy of the Avomb in that the fluid col- 

 lects in the inner of the two water bags (that in which the foal floats) 

 and not in the otherwise void cavity of the womb. This affection 

 can occur onh^ in the pregnant animal, while dropsy of the womb 

 occurs in the unimpregnatecl. The blood of the pregnant mare con- 

 tains an excess of water and a smaller proportion of albumen and red 

 globules, and when this condition is still further aggravated by poor 

 feeding and other unhygienic conditions there is developed the tend- 

 ency to liquid transudation from the vessels and dropsy. As the 

 watery condition of the blood increases with advancing pregnancy, 

 so dropsy of the amnion is a disease of the last four or five months of 

 gestation. The abdomen is large and pendulous, and the swelling 

 fluctuates under pressure, though the solid body of the fetus can still 

 be felt to strike against the hand pressed into the swelling. If the 

 hand is introduced into the vagina, the womb is found to be tense and 

 round, with the projecting rounded neck effaced, while the hand in 

 the rectum will detect the rounded, swollen mass of the womb so firm 

 and tense that the body of the fetus can not be felt within it. The 

 mare moves weakly and unsteadily on her limbs, having difficulty in 

 supporting the great weighty and in bad cases there may be loss of 

 appetite, stocking (drops}') of the hind limbs, difficult breathing, and 

 colicky pains. The tension may lead to abortion, or a slow, labo- 

 rious parturition may occur at the usual time. 



Treatment consists in relieving the tension and accumulation by 

 puncturing the fetal membrane with a cannula and trocar introduced 

 through the neck of the womb and the withdrawal of the trocar so 

 as to leave the cannula in situ, or the membranes may be punctured 

 with the finger and the excess of liquid allowed to escape. This may 

 bring on abortion, or the womb may close and gestation continue to 

 the full term. A course of tonics (gentian root 2 drams, sulphate of 

 iron 2 drams, daily) will do much to fortify the system and counter- 

 act further excessive effusion. 



DROPSY OF THE LIMBS, PERINEUM, AND ABDOMEN. 



The disposition to dropsy often shows itself in the hind and even 

 in the fore limbs, around and beneath the vulva (perineum), and be- 

 neath the abdomen and chest. The affected parts are swollen and 

 pit on pressure, but are not especially tender, and subside more or 

 less perfectly under exercise, hand rubbing, and bandages. In ob- 

 stinate cases rubbing with the following liniment may be resorted to: 



