THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 413 



ment, a number of vessels may be seen running across the limb 

 in various directions, of about the thickness of a quill ; they are 

 the most numerous, however, upon the inner surface of the leg, 

 where they appear to terminate in round or irregular formed 

 masses, which masses are acutely tender if squeezed within the 

 hand ; these prominent vessels are the inflamed lymphatics, and 

 the prominent masses alluded to are the inflamed lymphatic 

 glands. Sometimes the swelling extends from the junction of 

 the limb with the body down to the very foot ; at other times it 

 only reaches down to the hock, and when very severe a sort of 

 dew exudes from the skin and lies upon the hair. 



" The coarser the breed and the older the animal, the greater 

 the liability to lymphatitis. Young coarse-bred horses are also 

 very prone to it, particularly if highly fed and under worked ; 

 but in the young horse, the disease, in the majority of cases, if 

 not in all, quickly runs its course, and the affected limb becomes 

 in time perfectly restored to its pristine condition, and if due 

 precaution be taken the malady may not again manifest itself, at 

 least for years to come ; while in old horses the diseased limb is 

 seldom or never reduced — it remains permanently thickened, and 

 the animal is extremely liable to have acute or sub-acute attacks 

 of the same disease periodically. In the majority of cases, again, 

 its action is usually confined to a hind leg, and that on the left 

 side ; sometimes both limbs are affected, but never, that I have 

 seen, very acutely so at the same time ; the left limb might be 

 attacked, and some time afterwards the right one, but never both 

 limbs simultaneously. I have also found that if the disease be 

 treated according to the old mode, namely, by bleeding and 

 purging, that horses so treated are prone to be attacked far more 

 frequently than when treated homoeopathically. 



" Causes. — The predisposing causes are simple, the chief of 

 which are peculiarity of breed, and the regular giving of very 

 nutritious food in too great abundance ; also previous attacks of 

 the same disease, old age, and the sudden changing of the animal 

 from a poor to a rich diet. The immediate or exciting causes 

 are _^. heavy blows upon the limbs; severe scratches and cuts; 

 sudden over-exertion ; w r orking of the animal in water, or very 

 wet ground : the sudden checking of old discharges from diseased 

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