DISEASES OF THE BOXES 



393 



covery by finding gradual improvement for a time by 

 fomentation and poultices, followed by irrigation and 

 stimulants to the coronet, and perhaps the animal is dis- 

 charged from hospital, to be returned after a few days 

 worse than ever. The disease then becomes insidious and 

 more pronounced, the nodding of the head, even at a walk, 

 more exaggerated, and, in fact, the animal seems afraid to 

 put his foot to the ground, and much resembles a horse 

 with an abscess in his foot, either from prick or picked up 

 nail. He absolutely nurses his foot. There is a certain 

 amount of heat always present. The disease being now 

 well developed, pressure is caused by the ends of the 



Fig. 153.— Effects of Periostitis on the Os Pedis. 



navicular bone, and they become involved at their points 

 by bony deposits. The causes of this disease I attri- 

 bute, firstly, to hereditary predisposition ; and, secondly 

 the exciting cause, standing confined on board ship, 

 where no doubt pedal congestion takes place. And 

 perhaps some subjects start it in their marches in 

 mobs down country in Australia. Concussion may be 

 the cause among older horses, but the specimens photo- 

 graphed were taken from remounts, that had either done 

 no work or only very gentle work, in a deeply littered 

 riding school. 



' Treatment. — It is obvious from the position of ihis 



