prone to attack young animals than old ones ; moreover, those attacked nre 

 unfortunately more liable to future second, third, fourth, or even more 

 frequent affections. Acute rheumatism very frequently causes inflammation 

 of the valves of the heart, and in this is its chief clanger ; for although the 

 animal may entirely recover to all intents and purposes, nevertheless the 

 heart may be left diseased, and the animal thus be unfit for prolonged 

 exertion. Therefore, when a horse has had rheumatism, his value tends to 

 be diminished for these very reasons, viz., his greater liability to future 

 attacks and the probable permanent damage done to his central organ of 

 circulation ; but it is not in every case that the heart is affected, and 

 sometimes it may quite recover its normal condition. 



We will now turn to the consideration of the symptoms of the various 

 forms of this disease. In acute rheumatism there is high fever, the pulse is 

 accelerated, and, if felt, will be found to be firm and full. The temperature 

 is raised several degrees ; it may reach as high as 104^ or even 106° F., and 

 in this latter case is of very serious omen. The bowels are constipated, and 

 the water passed is highly coloured, scanty, and generally clear and acid. 

 In normal health it is cloudy and of an alkaline reaction in the horse, as in 

 other herbivorous animals. There is sudden and severe lameness, with or 

 Aviihout swelling of one or more joints, most commonly the stifle and fetlock, 

 less generally the hock and knee. On manipulation the affected joints are 

 found to be very tender. In most instances the heart is affected, but if the 

 attack be slight, the symptoms of heart mischief mriy pass unobserved. 



If, however, this organ be much affected, the animal will most likely 

 exhibit pain on his left side over the region of the heart, which is very 

 tender on pressure. The ordinary sounds caused by the heart's action will 

 be altered in character, or replaced by what are termed "murmurs." In health, 

 the heart while beating makes two sounds for each beat, and these have been 

 compared to the words " lab, dup ; " but their absence or replacement by 

 " murmurs," which sound like the letters '• sh," cannot be recognised except by 

 the initiated. Tiie pain and swelling of the joints' often subside in one 

 extremity, and reappear in another, and this changing is a marked feature of 

 rheumatism. Sometimes, but rarely, the inflammation does not abate, but 

 proceeds, and "matter" or "pus" is formed in the joint or joints. When 

 -death does occur in acute rheumatism, it is nearly always due to disease of 

 the valves or of the outer lining membrane of the heart. Now, regarding 

 the treatment of tliis disease ; the animal should be warmly clad and placed 

 in a well-ventilated box. A mild aperient, such as three drachms of aloes 

 may be given in the first instance, and the bowels should afterwards be kept 

 open by regulation of the diet, or if necessaiy by repetition of the purgative. 

 Three or four times daily half an ounce of bicarbonate of potassium with an 

 ounce of nitric ether may be given. If the temperature exceeds 103^, 

 salicylate of sodium must be given in addition two or three times daily for 

 two or three days, until the fever be reduced. The dose of this valuable 

 remedy for the horse is four drachms. Locally, hot fomentations to the 

 joints and anodyne lotions, as liniment of belladonna alone or mixed with an 

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