LAMINITIS. 309 



animals unused to travelling. Those animals, however, that 

 are used to travelling, as racehorses, etc., soon get over their 

 fear, and, accommodating themselves to circumstances, lie 

 down and rest during transit from one race-meeting to 

 another. Cattle also readily lie down on ship-board, hence 

 on this account do not suffer from laminitis so frequently 

 as horses. Acute laminitis often runs its course to a favour- 

 able termination within a very short period, and usually 

 occupies from six to ten days. As a rule, treatment is suc- 

 cessful, but occasionally the disease terminates fatally, 

 especially in cases where the bone becomes affected. 



Treatment, — The treatment of laminitis, to be successful, 

 must be prompt and energetic. Venesection during the 

 primary stage of the disease is frequently attended with 

 great benefit, and more especially in the case of plethoric 

 animals, or those working hard every day and in good con- 

 dition, that are sufficiently strong to bear a copious abstrac- 

 tion of blood. The abstraction of blood may be general 

 from the jugular vein, local from the artery of the toe, or it 

 may be both general and local ; but in any case a sufficient 

 quantity of blood should be drawn to have a ^perceptible 

 effect upon the pulse, and course of the inflammation ; but 

 what is probably far superior to phlebotomy as a curative 

 measure is the internal administration of arterial sedatives, 

 the one most frequently used, and from which the best 

 results are obtained, being aconite in the form of tincture. 

 As there are several tinctures of aconite, which vary greatly 

 in strength, it is essential that the practitioner should be 

 acquainted with the strength of the various tinctures, and 

 administer each in doses properly regulated in accordance 

 with its strength. Potassse nitras is almost indispensable 

 in the treatment of laminitis, and probably has a slightly 

 sedative action in addition to its well-known febrifuge and 

 diuretic actions. When given, it should be in good-sized 



