422 SUB-ACUTE LAMINITIS. 



couple of miles or so (to do his guard), he eventually became 

 reduced to the same state — pumice feet — the former horse was, and 

 met with the same fate. 



Diagnosis. — That the acute and sub-acute are different forms 

 or varieties of laminitis has, I trust, been demonstrably pointed out: 

 the one consisting in violent and destructive inflammation; the other 

 in inflammation of much less intensity and force, and of insidious 

 origin, though hardly less disorganizing termination. There exists 

 that broad line of distinction between them, that we are under no 

 apprehension in practice of mistaking one for the other. Neither 

 is sub-acute laminitis, in its stealthy beginning and tardy progress, 

 likely to be confounded with navicularthritis ; since the cir- 

 cumstance of the horse in one disease stepping short and quick, 

 and going upon the ^oes,. while in the other he makes every effort, 

 in his walk even as well as trot, to elongate his step so that his feet 

 may come to the ground upon the heels, will, along with collateral 

 circumstances, be found sufficiently characteristic of the two dis- 

 eases. 



The Treatment of Sub-acute Laminitis is ever undertaken 

 with more or less disadvantage, from the circumstance of the dis- 

 ease, in the majority of cases, having got the start of the practi- 

 tioner; inasmuch as, on inquiry, it will prove, in all probability, to 

 have been already for some time in existence. This, together with 

 its peculiar character, will render the treatment different in some 

 important respects from that which we find most effectual in the 

 acute disease. Having to deal with an inflammatory action of but 

 moderate intensity, though of insidious and stubborn character, we 

 in vain make attempts to suddenly arrest it or cut it short by large 

 blood-lettings, such as affect the system. In acute laminitis, wherein 

 fever runs so painfully high, lowering the system is an excellent 

 practice ; but not so in the sub-acute affection, where there is no 

 fever, and where the inflammation is of a character little more to 

 be repelled by a constitutional than by a topical blood-letting; 

 and, after either one or the other, will be pretty certain to relapse. 

 Under these circumstances, we find local abstraction of blood, and 

 repetitions of it, to be in the end more effectual than one or two 

 large depletions; while it is unattended with the disadvantage 



