56 THE DISEASES OF HORSES, 



Kidneys, Inflammation of the.— This disease, which is not infre« 

 quent, is of a very serious character. It is always accompanied by 

 intense fever, pain over ihe loins, as seen when pressure is applied 

 there ; there is constant attempts to pass urine, which, when successful, 

 is in small quantities, and high coloured, or thick and viscid. The horse 

 stands in a straddling manner, as in other diseases of the urinary organs. 



The disease with which it is most likely to be confounded is inflam- 

 mation of the bladder, and this can be decided by passing the hand up 

 the rectum very carefully, when, as the hand gradually nears the diseased 

 organ, great heat will be felt, and much sensitiveness shown by the horse. 

 The operation should, therefore, be performed with great caution, both 

 on account of the acute pain that rashness may cause the horse, and the 

 danger to the operator from the animal becoming restive. 



The principal cause giving rise to inflammation of the kidneys, is 

 feeding on new oats or kiln-dried oats, mow-burnt hay, and the giving of 

 powerful diuretics. The treatment consists in at once bleeding and getting 

 the bowels freely opened by the use of clysters and a purge ; strong mustard 

 poultices should be applied across the loins, and warm fomentations 

 kept up constantly ; half a drachm of calomel and one drachm of powdered 

 opium should be given night and morning ; aconite is useful, but only 

 safe in professional hands. The food should consist of thick gruel, boiled 

 linseed, mashes, &c, and during existence of the disease the patient should 

 have as much of the more liquid food warm as he can be induced to take. 



Knees, Broken.— See Broken Knees. 



Laminitis.— See Foot Founder.' 



Lampas. — This is scarcely worthy to be styled a disease, being no 

 more so than is the swelling of a child's gums when teething — it has, never- 

 theless, been made much of by grooms and farriers, who, far too cunning 

 to be taught, continue, in their ignorance and inhumanity, to inflict the 

 torture of the hot iron to reduce a swelling which, left alone and the 

 dictates of common sense followed in feeding, would very quickly disappear. 



Across the roof of the horse's mouth there are ridges or " bars," as 

 they are more usually termed, and lampas is nothing more than a tem- 

 porary swelling of these " bars " till they rise to a level with the teeth, so 

 that the animal cannot chew hard food, and constantly drops the corn 

 from his mouth unmasticated. "When this is noticed " Boxer" is declared 

 to be "off his feed;" the groom looks for and finds lampas, and pats 

 himself on the back as an amazingly clever fellow for having done so. If 

 he would only stop there no harm would be done j but too often his con- 



