I 



DISEASES OF THE MUSCLES AND TENDONS. 209 



became quite as sound and active as before, or whether she 

 was as well able to withstand another assault of the same 

 disease. 



In the winter of 1858-9, while traveling in the northern 

 part of Alabama, the writer encountered another case, which, 

 although very similar to the preceding, presented other fea- 

 tures so instructive that we shall give it in full also. 



Our place of entertainment for the night happened to be 

 at one of the drovers' stands common in those parts — resting- 

 places for the accommodation of the numerous droves of 

 horses and mules on their way from the great stock-raising 

 regions of Kentucky and Tennessee, to the cotton districts 

 of the South. Here we met the worst case of rheumatism 

 our eyes ever rested on. The victim was a line young horse, 

 about six years of age, purchased in Williamson County, 

 Tennessee. He had been trained for the saddle exclusively, 

 never having been hitched in harness ; had been moderately 

 used, and always well treated. For the preceding seven or 

 eight days he had run loose in the drove, traveling in this 

 manner only about twenty miles a day. 



Soon after reaching our stopping- place, we learned that a 

 horse was coming very sick with either colic or founder, and 

 presently he made his appearance. Certainly he was as 

 pitiable an object as we ever saw — his belly tucked up, his 

 back humped, his feet drawn under him, and his expression 

 indescribably woe-begone. He, too, was disinclined to lie 

 down, but finally did so, by giving entirely away and falling 

 to the ground. The groans which followed this performance 

 were perfectly heart-rending. We \iever heard such from 

 any other animal before or since. 



What had brought on the attack? The horse was young, 

 very fat, and, until a very few hours before, had been in ex- 

 cellent health. The day was moderately cool, so that he 

 could not have become overheated; nor had he either eaten 

 or drank too frequently. There was no cause for founder. 

 Examination showed, too, that it was not the feet so much 

 as the knees and shoulders that were tender and sore. As 

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