LAMENESS, FROM VAfllUUS CAUSES. 869 



This disease is rarely ever heard of in England, probably from 

 the hct that the food of horses is rich in phosphates and nitrogen, 

 while corn contains more of starchy matter, which, instead of fur- 

 nidhing material for the preparation of muscular or animal matter, 

 merely furnishes that which is consumed in process of respiration. 



Treaiment. — The ordinary treatment, as practiced by some per- 

 80n3, is to bore into the jaw-bone, and inject the same with some 

 conosive poison. Others expose the jaw-bone, and saw out a 

 section of the same. Some persons blister, or apply preparations 

 of i^idine. Such treatment, I think, only tends to create unneces- 

 sary irritation and pain, and can not possibly be of any benefit, 

 for I contend that the disease is not local, but constitutional, and 

 the reader will probably, after perusing this dissertation, come to 

 the same conclasion. The disease has extensive ramifications in 

 various parts of the bony fabric, and, therefore, the local treatment 

 must fail in curing the malady. Cases may arise which require 

 surgical operations, and if so, I have no objections to offer. I 

 have often been told that horses, after having all sorts of barbar- 

 ities practiced on them, have recovered. This, so far as the treat- 

 ment is concerned, is in accordance wdth the spirit of tlie old 

 error, " He got well after taking my medicine ; therefore, in con- 

 sequence of taking it." This is assuming a falsehood for a fact 

 and then giving fanciful reasons for it. 



In view both of prevention and cure of this organic disease of 

 the bones and their articulations, more is to be accomplished by 

 regimen than by medicine. The animal should always be pro- 

 vided with wholesome diet, and whenever green vegetables can be 

 obtained, they should be fed liberally, or, what is much better, 

 provided the season permits, allow the animal to roam in a pasture. 

 Whenever I have a case of this kind under treatment, I furnish 

 apples, beets, carrots, cab])age, or any other kind of vegetable that 

 I can procure. I find that such articles are usually devoured with 

 good relish. The object in feeding green food is to combat the 

 scorbutic diathesis which usually exists. The patient should also 

 be allowed from five to seven quarts of oats per day. 



When a horse with an enlargement of the lower or upper jaw 

 is suddenly attacked with acute lameness, he should be placed in 

 % wide stall, and the part^ where the lameness appears to be lo- 

 cated, as well as the jaws, should be diligemtly rubl)ed, twice daily, 

 with a portion of the following : 

 24 



