310 RHEUMATISM. 



torse, altliougli it is in trutla a very common affection. Animals at all 

 ages are subject to it, but it is most frequently met with in old horses that 

 have been early abused, and amongst younger ones whose powers have 

 been severely taxed. In the majority of cases, however, it vnll be met 

 with in animals recovering from some debilitating disease, especially pneu- 

 monia and influenza. The animal will be found very lame on one or both 

 limbs. On examination, considerable swelling, attended with great heat 

 and pain on pressure, will be found about the fetlock joint. This may 

 suddenly leave the part affected and attack another limb, and as suddenly 

 return again. The lameness is frequently excessive, and the pain is evi- 

 dently excruciating. The animal fears to rest his weight on the limb, or 

 even to touch the ground with his toe. He is heaving at the flanks, some- 

 times sweating profusely, his countenance plainly indicative of the agony 

 he feels. With proper treatment the pain and lameness generally disappear ; 

 but in other instances the ligaments become thickened and rigid, the 

 capsules of the joint are loaded with fibrinou.s deposits, and the joint is 

 evidently enlarged. In some instances it ass^^mes a somewhat chronic 

 form. Most horsemen will recollect cases in which the animal that seemed 

 the preceding day to be perfectly sound becomes decidedly lame, and limps 

 as though he had lost the use of his limbs. The lameness is indicated 

 rather by an unAvillingness to use the limb than by an expression of pain 

 in stepping on it. There will be considerable swelling, extending frequently 

 from the knee to the fetlock down the whole course of the flexor tendons, 

 and all the constitutional irritation usually attending excessive pain. 

 These sj^mptoms may gradually disappear in the course of a fortnight and 

 the animal appear perfectly sound, but in a short time the disease will 

 again retiirn with all its former violence. This is a very troublesome form of 

 rheumatism, and one which is rarely cured. It is considerably influenced 

 by cold or Avet weather. 



Mr. Cooper, of Coleshill, relates a case very applicable to the present 

 subject. A farmer purchased a horse, to all appearance sound, and rode 

 him home — a distance of ten miles. He was worked on the two following 

 days, without showing the least lameness. On the third day it was with 

 gi-eat difiiculty that he managed to limp out of the stable. Mr. Cooper 

 was sent for to examine him. The horse had clean legs and excellent feet. 

 The OAVTier would have him blistered all round. It was done. The horse 

 was turned out to grass for two months, and came up perfectly sound. 

 The weather soon afterwards became wet and cold, and the horse again 

 was lame ; in fact, it presently appeared that the disease was entirely 

 influenced by the changes of the atmosphere. ' Thus,' adds Mr. C, ' in 

 the summer a horse of this description will be mostly sound, while in the 

 wdnter he will be generally lame.' 



Rheumatism sometimes affects the muscles, assuming a neuralgic 

 character. In this form of the disease there may be no acute inflamma- 

 tion or pain on pressure. The following account of acute rheumatism, by 

 Mr. Thompson, of Beith, is too valuable to be omitted : — ' I have had,' 

 says he, ' fourteen cases of this disease. The muscles of the shoulders and 

 arms were generally the parts affected. The cure was effected in a few 

 days, and consisted of a good bleeding from the jugular, and a sharp 

 purge. 



* One of these cases was uncommonly severe. The disease was in the 

 back and loins. The horse brought forwai-d his hind-legs under his flanks, 

 reached his back, and drew up his flanks ^vith a convulsive twitch, accom- 

 panied by a piteous groan, almost every five minutes. The sympathetic 

 fever was alarming, the pulse was 90, and there Avas obstinate constipation 

 of the bowels. The horse literally roared aloud if any one attempted to 



