SPECIFIC INFECTIVE DISEASES 159 



after birth. In certain features it is allied to rheumatic 

 arthritis, but it has been proved to be a septic infection 

 along the tract of the umbilical cord, and the infection 

 starts at the umbilicus or navel, hence the advisability 

 of taking the necessary precautionary measures to prevent 

 the onset of this septic process. Cleanliness is an in- 

 dispensable factor when tying the cord with string, etc., 

 at the time of birth. By far the best treatment which 

 can be suggested, so far as the prevention of this trouble 

 is concerned, is to paint the end of the cord and round 

 about the navel with iodine liniment. It is only necessary 

 to do this once or twice and joint -ill will seldom be heard 

 of. There is a serum for the treatment of this affection 

 when developed, but this is a matter to be dealt with by 

 the professional adviser. Joint-ill comes on very sud- 

 denly and is indicated by lameness and swelling at or 

 around a joint, such as for instance the shoulder, hock, 

 or knee. These swellings are hot and painful, and the 

 foal refuses to suck. Those who are acquainted with 

 this disease think that the little creature must have been 

 injured, but such is not the case. It is a very fatal 

 disease, and the foal may be dead within a few hours ; 

 in fact, it usually is. As already stated, there is no need 

 for this disease to exist at all, provided that the simple 

 measures which the author has indicated are adopted. 

 Quite a number of foals have been lost in some studs 

 through this complaint, but the reduction of this loss to 

 a minimum always lies within the owner's grasp. 



Rheumatism 



Horses, like man and other animals, are liable to suffer 

 from rheumatism, and also to have it both as an acute 

 and chronic affection, although it is not a particularly 

 common complaint in the horse in either form. Never- 

 theless, it is worth while to mention the fact that it may 

 and does sometimes occur. Either the muscles or the 



