FIRST AID IN DISEASE AND LAMENESS 



During the warm months many horses suddenly 

 contract laminitis ("founder"), and there is no 

 condition that calls for immediate treatment more 

 than this one, and unless relief is quickly afforded the 

 soles of the feet will in many cases drop, and the ani- 

 mal become a permanent cripple. It does not follow 

 that a patient should have drunk a large quantity 

 of water, had a heavy feed, or stood in a draught to 

 contract this complaint, since concussion to the feet 

 from a long drive over hard and dry roads will often 

 prove to be quite as prolific a source in bringing on 

 the attack. When a horse is taken from the stable 

 the following morning, or even a few hours, after 

 a hard drive, and moves with great reluctance, ad- 

 vancing the front feet well forward, resting most of 

 the weight upon the heel, and bringing the hind ones 

 well forward, throwing the body backward in order 

 to place as much of the weight upon the hind ex- 

 tremities as possible, and thus assuming a position 

 that is often mistaken for some injury to the back, 

 we may reasonably conclude laminitis is present, and 

 at once proceed to* apply our treatment, which should 

 consist in removing the shoes, placing the front feet 

 in a tub of water, and giving two ounces of nitrate 

 of potash and two drachms of tartar emetic in one 

 dose, and followed by half the quantity on alternate 

 hours, until five or six doses have been given. The 

 soaking should be kept up for three hours, then a 

 few minutes of walking followed by more soaking. 

 It is also well, on the following day, to have applied 

 a pair of plain shoes, lower at the heels than the 

 toes, and chambered at the extreme end of the heels. 

 This affords an opportunity for the animal to throw 

 the weight well back on the heels, and thus relieve 

 the front part of the foot, the principal seat of the 



345 



