366 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



portion of his treatment. If the disease were a mechanical 

 congestion of the vessels, doubtless such congestion would be 

 relieved by the motion of the limbs ; but we must look for some- 

 thing more than congestion being the origin, namely, irritation, 

 and to the fact that congestion is the result and not the cause of 

 the disease. 



The necessity for bleeding in laminitis is a question upon which 

 practitioners differ. Without discussing it, I may state that I 

 consider local bleeding from the coronary plexus advantageous, 

 relieving the congestion and alleviating pain. 



The treatment of laminitis has hitherto been often unsatisfac- 

 tory ; but a short time ago a method was recommended by Mr. 

 Broad, V.S., Bath, which at the time secured for him a fair share 

 of abuse and condemnation ; one writer going so far as to state 

 that he thought the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 

 Animals ought to be informed about it. Fortunately, however, 

 for Mr. Broad, none of his critics had ever tried the plan ; whilst 

 others, less prejudiced, and quite as eminent in the profession, 

 gave it a trial, and were satisfied that it was most successful 

 when properly applied. 



Mr. Broad's Treatment. — Mr. Broad has kindly written out 

 his method of treatment, and I give it here in his own 

 words : — 



"TREATMENT OF ACUTE LAMINITIS. 



" As early as possible get lightly nailed on the feet affected 

 extremely stout, wide-webbed, and long bar shoes, made from 

 iron about twice the ordinary thickness that the particular 

 horses' shoes are made from ; make them gradually thin from 

 behind the quarters, so that the heel part of the shoes is wide 

 and thin, and fitted rocker fashion, which enables the horse to 

 throw his weight where he tries to, much better than he can in 

 ordinary shoes or without any ; that is, off the pedal bone on 

 to the soft elastic tissues and tendon behind it, which are 

 much less vascular and sensitive. 



" The object of putting on very stout shoes is to lessen the 

 jar; as it more commonly occurs that the horses are obliged to 

 be exercised on hard ground, as soft is not obtainable near. 

 (It is a generally acknowledged fact with practical men that 

 stout shoes lessen the jar to the feet of horses working on 



