336 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



the horse ahnost constantly lying down. It is with difficulty 

 that he can be induced to stand or move, and when he does, his 

 hind feet are placed as much as possible under the body, and 

 the fore ones stretched out, the animal resting almost entirely 

 on his heels : the feet and coronets feel very hot. The hind 

 feet may be Involved as well as the fore ones, but the latter are 

 more frequently alone affected, the proportion of weight sup- 

 ported by them being so much gi*eater. 



" The causes are — first, long-continued and rapid exertion 

 on the hard road during the summer months; secondly, con- 

 finement in a standing posture, for a long period, as on board 

 transports ; and, thirdly, metastasis. 



" That the first cause should produce the disease is an object 

 of less surprise than that it does not more frequently induce it, 

 when we consider that the effect of shoeing is to make the 

 crust and laminaj support the whole weight of the animal Avhilst 

 travelling on the road. 



" Some curious cases are on record of horses becoming af- 

 fected by this disease on board transports, from being unable 

 to lie down. By constantly standing in one position, the elastic 

 connections of the laminae are put continually on the stretch, 

 more particularly if the shoes are on ; and this constant action, 

 though not carried to its greatest extent, is yet much more 

 fatiguing than when the natural functions of alternate elono;ation 

 and contraction are permitted. The third cause to which we 

 have alluded is, perhaps, a more frequent one than either of the 

 others. After a horse has been labouring for a while under 

 inflammation of the lungs, or the muscles of the chest, it Is by 

 no means unfrequent for the disease to leave the part originally 

 affected, and to attack the feet — to fall down into the feet as 

 it is vulgarly supposed. This metastasis is a very singular phe- 

 nomenon of nature, and one which cannot easily be explained. 

 When lamlnltis is thus produced. It Is usually less acute than 

 when Induced by the other causes we have mentioned ; but 

 although less acute, it Is more obstinate in Its character, and 

 more likely to produce permanent disorganisation of the foot. 



Treatment. — The shoes being removed, the feet should be 

 pared out, and a large quantity of blood abstracted from the toe, 

 taking care that the artery itself is opened, and not merely the 

 vein. We cannot well take too much blood from the feet ; if 

 both are affected, four or five quarts of blood avIII not be too 

 much from each foot. " To promote tlie flow of blood, it Is well 

 to Immerse the foot in a pail of warm water during the bleeding. 

 If the horse cannot be made to stand upon one leg long enough 

 for the performance of the operation, we should bleed from the 

 coronet, putting the feet in a warm bath immediately afterwards, 

 and, if sufficient blood cannot be procured from the coronet, we 



