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by a rest of several days in a hot, badly ventilated, and damp 

 stable, and the animals are especially predisposed to the disease 

 if, during the time of inactivity, they have been given full rations. 

 The high temperature of the stables acts by rendering the organ- 

 ism less resistant to cold. 



Symptoms. — They consist of troubles of locomotion (move- 

 ment) , which appear within a quarter to half an hour, generally 

 during exercise. 



The disease commences very suddenly. It begins in an unusual 

 degree of restlessness, with profuse perspiration, which symp- 

 toms are speedily succeeded by a desire to lie down, by great 

 sluggishness, loss of motor power in the hind limbs, violent 

 spasms of the large muscles of the loins and thighs and hind 

 qiiarters or the shoulders. The pulse usually becomes rapid. 



If they are down they make efforts to stand up, but from the 

 total loss of all motor power in the hind limbs they are unable to 

 do so. 



The affected muscles are swollen and very hard. 



The temperature rarely increases, even in the grave form. 



The appetite is seldom diminished, and, as a rule, they will 

 drink large quantities of water. 



The urine is coffee colored and generally retained in the blad- 

 der. The affected muscles may atrophy, especially those located 

 above the stifle. 



Treatment. — When the disease has set in we must by all means 

 give the animals rest. Keep them on their feet if possible. If 

 there is danger of the horse lying down, and if able to partially 

 support his weight on his hind legs, the suspending slings must 

 be brought into use. 



Encourage the horse to drink as much water as possible, as 

 this will assist the kidneys in carr^^ng the poisonous material out 

 of the blood. A ball of aloes should be administered, and only 

 good hay and laxative food given. We must avoid food that 

 heats, especially oats and corn. 



In the first stages, if the pain is very severe, give 2 drams of 

 cannabis indica (fluid extract). If the animal is down and can 

 not get uj), he must be supplied with lots of bedding and fre- 

 quently turned from side to side. If he has retention of urine the 

 bladder must be emptied several times daily; this can be accom- 

 plished by passing the hand into the rectum and applying 



