280 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



need for long consideration as to diagnosis ; the symptoms 

 showed at once that I had an uncommonly severe case 

 of acute founder before me. On examination I found the 

 pulse was 120, the respirations 100, and the thermometer 

 106° F. The poor brute could not move, the fore-legs 

 were well out before, and the hind-legs thrown back be- 

 hind ; in fact, he was, as one might say, propping himself 

 up with his four legs ! 



' On examining his feet, I discovered what I had never 

 cither seen or heard of before — namely, blood freely oozing 

 out at the coronet of all four feet; if anything, the hind- 

 feet were the worst, and, showing that this bloody discharge 

 at coronets had commenced during progression and before 

 lit was stabled, the inside of the thighs were all shotted 

 over with blood, which had been thrown up by his feet 

 while he was trotting or walking. He was completely 

 soaked all over with perspiration. 



' My prognosis could not well be otherwise than unsatis- 

 factory. I resolved, however, to do all I could to relieve 

 the poor suffering brute. As a matter of course, jugular 

 phlebotomy was utterly impracticable ; so, to relieve the 

 pressure in the feet, I had him (after, with extreme diffi- 

 culty, removing the shoes) bled, or rather opened, at all 

 four toes, and hot poultices applied. On opening the off- 

 side toe, in both hind and fore feet, I found an escape 

 of very dark-coloured blood, with a great many bubbles 

 oi gas, thus showing that the destructive process was fairly 

 established in the two bony extremities mentioned. The 

 near fore and near hind feet showed no signs of gas- 

 bubbles on being opened at the toe. 



' I gave a laxative in combination with a diffusible 

 stimulant, and ordered doses of aconite and potassium 

 iodide ; I also applied strong sinapisms to each side, 

 immediately behind the shoulders. After three hours I 

 found my patient rather easier; respiration about 90, and 

 temperature 104° ; willing to take a little water, and even 

 attempted to take some hay. Ordered continued applica- 

 tions of hot water to the poultices at feet, and clothed him 



