LAMINITIS. 361 



secreted by the mucous membranes ; scales of the same nature, 

 by the skin ; and horn cells, similar in every respect to those of 

 the skin and mucous membranes, by the laminae. It must also 

 be remembered that when a part only is irritated, the effects of 

 such irritation tend to spread, and that when the mucous mem- 

 branes of the intestinal, uterine, or respiratory passages are 

 inflamed, the skin participates, as may be witnessed in many 

 cases of cutaneous eruption from indigestion, catarrh, &c. The 

 irritation of the cutaneous surface may be very slight, scarcely 

 observable ; but the irritation of its foldings in the feet, sur- 

 rounded by their unyielding case, becomes a source of great 

 pain; in fact, it may be said that this slight sympathetic 

 irritation becomes the cause of an acute inflammation, because 

 located in unyielding structures. I am convinced there is no 

 real metastatic transference of the inflammation from its original 

 seat, for it is found, when horses die from super-purgation, 

 diarrhoea, or other irritation of the intestinal mucous membrane, 

 that laminitis is often present before death, and post mortem 

 examinations of such reveal the presence of inflammation, both 

 in the feet and in its original seat. It is not necessary to have 

 an inflammatory disease of mucous tissue to induce fever in 

 the feet ; a slight irritation, such as that of a moderate cathartic, 

 being sufficient. I have several cases on record where a 

 moderate dose of purgative medicine has caused inflammation 

 of the feet, without seemingly stimulating the intestines to 

 more than moderate purgation. That the skin is in an irritable 

 condition is also proved by the tendency to the non-healing of 

 w^ounds during laminitis, by the loss of hair, as pointed out 

 by Professor Dick, and by the frequent occurrence of phlebitis, 

 or inflammation of the jugular vein after bleeding from it in 

 this disease. The wound in tlie skin made for the withdrawal 

 of blood does not heal, but suppurates, and the diseased process 

 extends to the venous coats. 



Acute laminitis terminates in resolution of the parts, or in 

 that form w^hich is termed subacute or chronic, in suppuration, 

 and occasionally in gangrene. 



Chronic laminitis is that condition of the feet remaining 

 after the subsidence of the febrile symptoms ; or it may 

 originate independently of an acute attack. Horses suffering 

 from the chronic form are, however, subject to the acute from 



