392 LAMINITIS. 



again for sale. Perhaps the next day after the arrival of one of 

 these herds, especially if the weather be hot at the time, my atten- 

 tion is called to one of these animals. I find him down, and appa- 

 rently suffering pain, evinced by throwing about . the head, &c. 

 The appetite for food is gone, and he breathes quick ; shews great 

 disinclination to rise, and, when got upon his feet, great difficulty 

 to walk, nay even to stand, shifting and throwing the weight from 

 one foot to another. Examining the limbs from above downwards, 

 until we reach the feet the seat of the disease is not detected. 

 These are intensely hot and very painful, and sometimes, but 

 not always, swelling about the coronets, shewing evidently that 

 inflammation is there existing. The disease progressing, after 

 some little time, as the result of the inflammatory action, a separa- 

 tion of the hoof may be seen to take place around the coronet, and 

 purulent matter to issue from the fissure. The hoof is now gradually 

 thrown off, which is a long and tedious process, and the growth of 

 new horn must take place before the poor sufferer recovers. This 

 is a work of months." 



This disease " differs altogether from what the late Mr. Youatt 

 and others, in their writings, have called FoUL IN THE FoOT." — 

 Veterinarian, vol. xxiii, p. 582. 



The fore are the Feet commonly attacked by Laminitis. 

 Otherwise, all four feet are usually seized, and commonly simul- 

 taneously, with the disease. The hind feet will sometimes follow 

 the fore in attack, owing, it is said, to so much additional burthen 

 being cast upon them ; but, to the exemption of the fore, they rarely 

 suflfer. The late Mr. John Field relates two cases* of such an occur- 

 rence. And Hurtrel d'Arbovalt has detailed the symptoms of 

 laminitis in the hind feet, as distinguished from those charac- 

 teristic of the disease of the fore. I have had an example of the 

 disease in one fore foot to the exclusion of the remaining three ; and 

 in the progress of the case the coffin-bone protruded through the 

 horny sole, notwithstanding its fellow (fore) foot remained sound. 



For the reason why the fore rather than the hind feet should 

 become obnoxious to laminitis we must revert to the larger pro- 



* In his " Posthumous Veterinary Records." 



f In his "Dictionnaire Vet^rinaire;" zxiicle fourhoure. 



