308 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



his patient, that he is lying down. If the animal is allowed 

 to remain in this position it may lead to a mistaken diag- 

 nosis, as bowel trouble, etc. ; for this reason, if for no other, 

 the patient should be forced to rise. The animal may require 

 considerable whipping before he will rise, but will finally do 

 so. On rising he makes a sf)ring with his hind-feet, and 

 immediately stumbles forward with a groan, when the prac- 

 titioner may feel certain that the case is one of laminitis. 

 On making an examination great heat may be readily de- 

 tected in the region of the coronet, and sometimes it may 

 be detected through the hoof ; there is also throbbing of 

 the plantar arteries. When the hind feet only are attacked, he 

 still stands with all four of his feet under him in an endeavour 

 to rest the heels of the hind-limbs upon the ground, and to 

 place as much of his weight as possible upon the fore-limbs. 

 If it becomes necessary for the patient to change his position, 

 in doing so he puts his feet to the ground very gingerly,. 

 and raises them every now and then with a violent jerk 

 similar to that of stringhalt, and it might almost lead one 

 to think that the animal was suffering from that form of 

 chorea. The mouth is found to be hot and feverish, and a 

 peculiar clammy sort of sensation is imparted to the finger 

 placed within it. Anorexia, partial or complete, usually the 

 latter, is observed; abdominal complications sometimes occur, 

 and are manifested by the usual symptoms, and may, where 

 the practitioner is careless or ignorant, lead to a mistake in 

 diagnosis, and as a matter of course improper treatment, 

 which will in every case lead to serious results. Laminitis 

 is of frequent occurrence on board ship, such cases being 

 caused by the animal standing on the hard board floor, 

 horses rarely lying down on board ship or train, so long as 

 there is any appreciable motion, but obstinately persisting in 

 standing until compelled to lie down from sheer exhaustion ; 

 especially is this true in the case of young and irritable 



