DISEASES OF THE FEET AND LEGS. 123 



are plates (technically, semi-cartilaginous leaves received 

 between the horny lamellae which line the interior of 

 the hoof) resting on the inside of the horny hoof, and 

 giving an elastic support, whereby the whole weight of 

 the horse's structure is thrown against the wall of the 

 hoof and kept off the side. It is not surprising, there- 

 fore, that these causes should produce derangement here. 



As laminitis generally attacks the fore feet, the poor 

 beast in his anguish endeavours to throw his weight 

 off them by resting on his hind quarters, which are 

 tucked under him, with the fore legs and feet pushed 

 out before him merely to keep him from falling; he 

 can barely hobble if he attempts to move. If the fever 

 be only slight and in one foot, he will point it, while 

 extreme lameness and unnatural heat in the foot mark 

 the disease. The shoe should (in this as in all cases of 

 foot-lameness) be instantly removed by a smith brought 

 to the stable instead of giving the poor creature the 

 j)ain of limping to the forge. 



The foot should be put into cold water, constantly 

 renewed, and kept in it all day ; at night a bran poul- 

 tice or water-dressing should be left on [see " Water- 

 dressing " and "Poultices," page 149). Also adminis- 

 ter a purge. 



In acute cases, bleeding at the toe is sometimes prac- 

 tised by paring away there till the veins appear. This 

 is a very questionable remedy, and there is little doubt 

 that the use of the knife only aggravates" the inflamma- 

 tion. 



The fact is, that beyond its incipient stage, none but 

 the veterinary surgeon is competent to deal with this 

 disease. 



Its prevention is best secured by requiring moderate 



