ANASARCA, SWELLED LEGS, ETC. 239 



ceded and accompanied by oedema of the legs, and a thin acrid 

 discharge issues from the wound, and from the irritation and pain 

 produced it is often attended with considerable lameness — the 

 horse catching up his leg in a peculiar manner on being moved. 



The Treatment should consist of purgatives and diuretics, as- 

 sisted by venesection if the system be plethoric. The heels being 

 in a state of inflammation, a linseed poultice should be applied to 

 them for several nights, in which there may be a solution of alum 

 or sulphate of zinc. By this medicated poultice we accomplish 

 two purposes at the same time — we reduce the local inflammation, 

 and bring about a healthy action of the part, by means of the sti- 

 mulant the poultice contains. It is scarcely necessary to observe 

 that the heels must be kept clean, and the hair closely cut from 

 them. When the poultices are discontinued, the crack should 

 be washed twice a day with a solution of sulphate of zinc ; and, 

 if the horse is obliged to work, a little astringent powder, such 

 as prepared chalk with Armenian bole, should be scattered over 

 the wound. Generally speaking, the cuticle is broken, and the 

 cutis denuded and abraded ; but it sometimes happens, from the 

 repetition or long continuance of these cracks, that the cutis 

 itself is completely divided, and the case then becomes very 

 troublesome, and cannot be cured without a cicatrix. And 

 when the wounds appear to be healed, it often happens that, 

 after exercise or work, the great motion of the parts causes a 

 separation of the newly-formed skin, and the heels appear in a 

 bleeding state. In these cases, after the inflammatory action is 

 subdued by the local and constitutional treatment we have re- 

 commended, it is necessary to keep the parts as much in a state 

 of rest as possible, and the wound must be kept clean, and 

 stimulated with tincture of myrrh. 



It sometimes happens, when there is no crack, or wound, or 

 discharge from the heels, there is often a thick dry scurf. This 

 is best treated by frequent ablution, rubbing the part carefully 

 dry, and applying the ung. hyd. nit. 



Grease is a white offensive discharge from the skin of the heels, 

 frequently extending as high up as the hock or knee. It is 

 generally the consequence of the dropsical enlargement of the 

 legs before spoken of, and it is indeed an effbrt of nature to re- 

 lieve the inflammation and tension of the integuments. Horses 

 with much hair about the legs are more particularly disposed to 

 grease, and well-bred horses are rarely affected. The skin in 

 grease is usually red, and the hair appears staring, and there is 

 at first considerable pain and stiff'uess of the part. After a while, 

 however, this stiffness goes off"; and, if the disease is neglected, 

 the discharge continues in increased quantity, the skin becomes 



