GREASE. , 285 



termed grapes. As St. Bel happily enough depicts this 

 change, the parts look like " the outward coat of a pine- 

 apple/' These morbid productions rarely spring from the 

 pastern or coronet ; they spread up the back part of the leg, 

 but neyer reach the hock. By degrees they grow vascular ; 

 then turn intensely red, and become sensitive in the highest 

 degree. They undergo, however, a chronic change : they 

 lose their feeling and their vascularity, becoming cartilagi- 

 nous, or even horny. The substance of the skin is also ex- 

 periencing alteration of structure; it assumes thrice the 

 natural thickness, and is like cartilage. Other changes 

 accompany these. The hair gradually falls off, leaving the 

 grapes very thinly surrounded, and those in a state of erec- 

 tion. From the crevices between the grapes, runs a fetid 

 discharge, mingled with blood. By this time, the leg is of 

 an enormous bulk, from which circumstance, independently 

 of its painful condition, the motion of the limb is impeded. 

 In fine, to make use of the expression of St. Bel, the parts 

 present "a cumbersome mass of disease ;'' which, though it 

 is just possible we may mitigate, it is not in the power of 

 art to restore to a healthy condition. 



The Parts subject to Grease, are the heels, especially 

 those of the hind legs : the disorder rarely appearing in the 

 fore limbs. The pathology appears to be this : the hind 

 heels, being far removed from the source of circulation, and 

 the vascular current being comparatively weak, their capil- 

 laries become liable to congestion, a condition from which to 

 relieve themselves, they emit the redundance of blood in the 

 form of secretion. 



The Horses subject to Grease are those possessing the 

 least breeding ; those of coarse fibre, and fleshy heels ; cart- 

 horses, particularly such as are large and have white legs. 

 Some seem to be constitutionally prone to the disorder; for 

 there are horses whose legs will, at certain seasons, fill and 

 swell, in spite of all the physic we may administer. We sel- 

 dom meet with the disease in gentlemen's hackneys and 

 hunters, and more rarely in racers : a circumstance owing 

 to the excellent and great care taken of these animals. 



