DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 161 



There is but one cure for this disease, and that is, remove 

 the cause. Bleed largely from the neck — ten, twelve or 

 fourteen quarts, or until the symptoms of fainting. After 

 the horse is convalescent a sharp dose of physic should be 

 given to regulate the bowels. I would advise owners of such 

 horses to dispose of them. Once taken with the disease, 

 they are subject to a repetition of the attack when the blood- 

 vessels become filled again. 



Note. — Small doses of aconite (of the quantity for fever) 

 may be given three or four times a day as a good preventive. 

 Turning horses to pasture that may be liable to this disease 

 will prove both injurious and dangerous. 



FOUNDER, (LAMINITIS.) 



There are two stages of this disease, acute and chronic. 

 The first produces a high state of excitement and inflamma- 

 tion of the sensible laminae of the foot. The second, a 

 morbid or insensible feeling of the parts generally. The 

 first is invariably cured if properly treated. The second is 

 not curable, but may be palliated to a limited extent. 

 Acute founder is easily detected. The^animal invariably 

 extends the fore feet as far forward as he can, and brings 

 the hind ones in the same position under him. There is so 

 much pain in the fore feet that he endeavors to throw his 

 weight on the hind ones. (See cut.) The common causes 

 of founder are exposing the animal when warm to sudden 

 changes, usually produced by the following means, namely : 

 Standing in cold air when warm, after being driven, 

 driving through a river while warm, or giving cold water to 

 drink while warm, washing the feet when warm and neg- 

 lecting to dry them, &c. It is generally supposed that 

 feeding a horse while warm will produce founder. This is 

 an error, unless it is such food as will chill the system, 

 which may be done by giving a large quantity of cold Avet 

 mixed feed, whereby the circulation would be checked, as 

 before explained. 



Founder is simply inflammation in the feet, whatever 

 general disturbance of the system is caused by the pain and 

 soreness in them, and the correct principle of cure is to 

 lower and remove this inflammation before change of struc- 

 ture or sloughing can take place. 



11 



