418 



the induction of laminitis, during the course of some other disease, may 

 servo to arrest the further invasion of healthy tissue by the primary 

 process, or that it may exert a remedial influence upon the first dis- 

 ease, but it can not and does not at once remove that inflammation 

 and obliterate its lesions, for the products of any inflammation, be 

 it never so simple, require a certain time for their removal, and it is 

 impossible that, for instance, the products of inflamed lung tissue 

 can be immediately removed and the inflammation in whole trans- 

 ferred to the laminae. Metastatic laminitis, then, is nothing more 

 nor less than concurrent laminitis, and as such presents little in jiny 

 way peculiar outside the imperfectly understood exciting cause, and 

 the practitioner who allows the acute symptoms of the laminitis to 

 mislead liim, simply because their severity has overshadowed those 

 of the primary disease, may lose his case through unguarded subse- 

 quent treatment. This form of laminitis is by no means commonly 

 met with, but when seen will usually be found in conjunction with 

 pneumonia, according to Youatt with inflammation of the bowels and 

 eyes, and according to Law and Williams sometimes with bronchitis. 

 ^ Sym]jtoms.— Laminitis is characterized by a congregation of symp- 

 toms so well marked as scarcely to be misinterpreted by the most cas. 

 ual observer. They are nearly constant in their manifestations, modi- 

 fied by the number of feet affected, the cause which has induced the 

 disease, the previous condition of the patient, and the various other 

 influences which operate in all diseases to some extent. They may be 

 divided into general symptoms, which are concomitants of all cases of 

 the disease, subject to variations in degree only and special symptoms, 

 or those whieli serve to determine the feet affected and the coinplica- 

 tions which may arise. 



General si/mj^toms.—Vsuallj the first symptoms that would indicate 

 any definite obstruction to functional performance is the interference 

 with locomotion produced by congestion of the sensitive membrane. 

 Occasionally the other symptoms are presented first. With the devel- 

 opment of the lameness the pulse will be found accelerated, full, hiird, 

 and striking the finger strongly; the temperature soon rises several 

 degrees above the normal, reaching sometimes 106° Fahr., although it 

 generally ranges between 102^° and 105° Fahr. The respirations are 

 rapid and panting in character^ the nostrils being widely dilated, and 

 the mucous membranes highly injected. The facial expression is anx- 

 ious and indicative of the most acute suffering, while the body is more 

 or less bedewed with sweat. At first there may be tendency to diar- 

 rhea, or it may appear later, particularly as the result of the medicines 

 used. The urine is high colored, scant in quantity, and of increased 

 specific gravity, owing to the water from the system being eliminated 

 by the skin instead of the kidneys. The appetite is impaired and 

 sometimes entirely lost, while the thirst is greatly increased. The 

 affected feet arc hot and dry to the touch. They are relieved as much 



