112 Management and Treatment of the Horse. 



is saturated with the acid, the most rational 

 treatment is the alkalis, and it is the most 

 successful — hicarbonate of jjotass^ nitrate^ hitar- 

 trate^ and acetate. The symptoms of laminitis 

 are, that the horse stands in a fixed position; 

 if confined to the fore feet, the symptoms are of 

 that peculiar character that can hardly by any 

 person of experience be mistaken, ''all of a 

 heap " is the old phrase used to denote the 

 animal's position ; the pulse is full, frequent, 

 and remarkably hard, the respiration seeming to 

 sympathize with the pulse. The horse places its 

 hind feet under it in order to take the weight 

 of its body off the fore feet. It groans and 

 moans irom the severity of the pain which in 

 extreme cases lays it prostrate. If forced to step 

 forward it most unwillingl}^ does so ; and its 

 method of accomplishing it is expressive of no 

 disease save laminitis. The feet are hot and 

 painful ; if one foot is held up, which in some 

 cases is very difiicult to do, it can scarcely stand 

 upon the other ; it does not like to get up when 

 laid down, and if compelled, does so with great 

 difficulty, and it is very unwilling to move from 

 one place to another. Throbbing of the pastern 

 arteries is another well-marked symptom. The 

 mouth is parched, the mucus membranes vascular 

 and scarlet in colour; parts of its body are in 

 a state of tremor, and it is continually changing 

 the position of its feet in search of relief. The 

 pain is explained by a larger amount of blood 

 to the nerves of the part, combined with the 

 pressure of the surrounding textures upon them. 



