29 



caustic ma}'- be employed instead of the solution of zinc, and carbolic 

 acid may take tbe place of either. If the treatment is successful, 

 there is generally left a chronic thickening of the integument of the 

 diseased part, with numerous hard knots, which mark the situations 

 of the original farcy buds. It is not to be expected that the com- 

 plete removal of this morbid condition can be effected, but the 

 enlargement may be reduced by the application of stimulating lini- 

 ments with friction, or what is better, the use of the ordinary liquid 

 blister or oil of cantharides, which may be safely applied over an 

 extensive surface. A great increase in the swelling of course follows 

 the blister, but in a few days it subsides, and with it a considerable 

 portion of the original tumefaction. A repetition of the blister on 

 several occasions at short intervals will be advantageous where it is 

 of much importance to reduce the limb to its normal size as nearly 

 as possible. When the cure is apparently complete it is still 

 necessary to exercise great caution in putting the horse to exertion ; 

 even in the most favourable cases there is great debility produced by 

 the disease, and sudden or excessive exertion is often followed by 

 death from congestion of the lungs or from general prostration." 



FEVER IN THE FEET (LAMTNITIS). 



We extract the following note on this disease from an able article 

 that appeared in the Field : " Horses most subject to fever in the 

 feet, or acute founder, or laminitis, are those employed in heavy 

 draught work. One variety of the affection is found in horses of all 

 ages and breeds — that form of it which is secondary to an acute 

 disease of some internal organ ; thus it has often occurred after a 

 severe attack of influenza or bronchitis, or inflammation of the 

 intestines. The causes of inflammation of the feet are generally 

 mechanical — concussion or strain of some kind is concerned. Hard 

 riding on hard roads will sometimes occasion a very acute attack ; 

 the gambols in which a horse will indulge when turned out to grass 

 may be the cause of an inflammatory attack, if the shoes have been 

 removed and the ground happens to be dry and hard. Standing for 

 a long period in the stable, supporting heavy weights down hill, 

 tight nailing, are all included. It is customary to describe three 

 particular stages of laminitis, the acute, subacute, and chronic, 

 which terms may be interpreted to mean the most violent inflamma- 

 tion in the first case, a more subdued and less active form in the 

 second, and a still lower variety, hardly amounting to inflammation 

 at all. in the third instance. Acute laminitis, as we may term all 

 cases where there are intense pain and constitutional disturbance, is 



