256 THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 



all of them may also exist in association with disease of the heart." 

 Treatment, homoeopathic. The best remedies we know of for an 

 affection of this character are, rest, laxative medicine, light diet, 

 and cold water packing — supposing, however, that it is brought 

 on by severe work. Should it be occasioned by exposure, treat 

 it the same as a common attack of rheumatism. 



ACUTE RHEUMATISM, OR FOUNDER. 



This is a very common disease among horses, and probably 

 occurs more frequently than people would suppose. We have 

 treated quite a large number of cases during the past few years. 

 Some of them yielded very readily, and disappeared just as sud- 

 denly as they came ; others were protracted, became chronic, and 

 left the subject with stiffened muscular fibres, contractions of mus- 

 cles and hoofs, effusions into bursal sacs around the fetlocks, &c. ; 

 and two cases terminated fatally, in one of which the autopsy 

 showed high inflammation of the interior of the heart — endocar- 

 ditis : the internal membrane of that organ had the appearance 

 of purple velvet, with effusions of lymph on its surface ; the ten- 

 dinous cords of the lateral ventricles were strung with fibrous de- 

 posits to such an extent that they must have had interference with 

 the heart's action. The second case was complicated ; the ex- 

 ternal covering of the heart — pericardium — had several adhe- 

 sions, and its surface next the heart was studded in several 

 places with lymph granules ; slight effusion had also taken place. 

 The internal appearance of the heart was the same as in the 

 preceding case, excepting the fibrous deposits on the cor dee, tendi- 

 nce. (This rare specimen is now among our collection of morbid 

 anatomy, for the inspection of those who may wish to see it.) 

 AVe strongly suspect that many diseases of the fibrous and ten- 

 dinous structures have their origin in rheumatic disease ; and if 

 the horse could only speak, he would often tell us of his flying 

 aches and pains, long before we discover any tiling of the sort. 

 These horses, from the first, had febrile symptoms of an acute 

 inflammatory character, which active cathartics and counter irri- 

 tants seemed to have no effect on. The first subject died on the 

 fifth day from the attack, and the latter on the ninth. In the 



