356 MANUAL OF EQUINE MEDICINE. 



LEAD POISONING-PLUMBISM-SATURNINE 

 EPILEPSY— LEAD PALSY. 



Lead poisoning is generally confined to certain districts 

 where lead-smelting is carried on, but it may also occur in 

 horses from ingestion of lead paint and splinters of bullets 

 which are scattered about near rifle-targets. 



The lead contained in ^^aint, when ingested, is acted upon 

 by gastric juice, and being thus converted into soluble salts, 

 is absorbed into the system. 



In its pure metallic form, lead appears to be devoid of 

 toxic properties; and it is well known that in the form of 

 shot it is used by dealers of low principles to alleviate the 

 symptoms of broken wind in horses they wish to sell. 

 Some of the metal, however, is very probably converted into 

 soluble salt, and being absorbed, becomes incorporated with 

 the tissues. 



In some instances lead poisoning has been due to boiling 

 food in vessels used for containing lead preparations. 



It is probable also that lead may be absorbed by water 

 conducted through leaden pipes, and this is more especially 

 likely to be the case, when the water is highly oxygenated, 

 or contains organic matter. 



Polluted shallow well-waters are more dangerous in this 

 respect, because they act on lead violently and continuous!}'-, 

 and therefore leaden pipes should never be used. 



Lead when absorbed into the system leaves very slowly, 

 and may be retained many weeks after the animal has ceased 

 to ingest it in its water or food. 



^ Lead poisoning may be acute, when it is sometimes spoken 

 of as ' saturnine epilepsy,' in which coma, delirium, or con- 

 vulsions are manifested, or it may be chronic. 



ACUTE LEAD POISONING.— After ingestion of a large 

 amount of lead, the appetite becomes impaired ; there is 



