THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 93 



Ordinary practitioners are unfit to treat hernia pro- 

 perly : horses, when afflicted, ought to be put under 

 the care of some experienced veterinarian, when more 

 hopes may be entertained of a cure, than the unskilful 

 could effect. 



RHEUMATISM. 



Many opinions were entertained on this disorder ; 

 some doubting its existence in the horse ; but who, at 

 the same time, could not account for " some anomalous 

 symptoms on any other pathological view." It is now, 

 however, universally allowed to prevail, and consists 

 of two kinds, acute and chronic. Gibson has written 

 on acute rheumatism, under the name of external 

 'pleurisy ; it was so called from the intercostal 

 muscles being looked upon as the parts affected, and 

 not unfrequently attended with a couch. Farriers have 

 known it as the Founders, from the stumbling gait not 

 unusual when afflicted with rheumatism in any part. 



Causes. — Horses that have been accustomed to warm 

 stables are subject to it when exposed too suddenly to 

 cold or rain ; atmospheric transitions of all kinds 

 ought to be carefully avoided, as they are apt not only 

 to produce rheumatism, but may possibly lead to some 

 other disorder. 



Symptoms. — ^The first kind, viz., acute rheumatism, is 

 sometimes forerun with a sUght fever, alternate cold 

 and shivering sensations followed by heat ; the fore- 

 quarters and extremities are most commonly attacked. 



