420 



111 other instances one foot at a time is advanced and placed with 

 the heel upon the ground in the same careful manner, all causes of 

 concussion being carefully avoided. In attempting to back the ani- 

 mal he is found to be almost stationary, sim^jly swaying the body 

 back on the haunches and elevating the toes of the diseased feet as 

 they rest upon their heels. In attempting to turn either to the right 

 or left he allows his head to be drawn to the one side to its full extent 

 before moving, then makes his hind feet the axis around which the 

 forward ones describe a shuffling circle. 



In a majority' of cases of laminitis in the fore feet the animal per- 

 sists in standing until he is nearlj^ recovered. In other cases he as 

 persistently lies, standing only when necessity seems to compel it, 

 and then for as short a time as possible. If the recumbent position 

 is once assumed the relief experienced from a removal of the weight 

 of the bod}'- off the inflamed tissues tempts the patient to seek it 

 again, and so we often find him down a greater part of the time. But 

 this is not true of all cases, for sometimes he will make the experi- 

 ment, then cautiously guard against a rejietition. Even in those 

 cases of enforced recumbency, he ofttimes takes advantage of the 

 first opportunity and gets upon his feet, doggedly remaining there 

 until again laid upon his side by his attendants. How to explain 

 this diversity of action I do not know, for theoretically the recumbent 

 jjosition is the only appro i:)riate one, except when complications exist, 

 and the one which should give the most comfort, yet it is rejected by 

 very many x)atients and no doubt for some good reason. It has been 

 suggested as an exjilanation that when the animal gets upon his feet 

 after lying for a time the suffering is so greatly augmented that the 

 memory of this experience deters him from an attempted repetition. 

 If this were true, the horse with the first attack of this disease must 

 necessaril}^ make the exi3eriiiieiit before knowing the after effects of 

 lying down, yet many remain standing without even an attempt at 

 gaining this experimental knowledge. 



The most favored jiosition of the animal when down is on the broad- 

 side, with the feet and legs extending. While in this jiosition the 

 general sj'mptoms greatly subside; the respirations and pulse become 

 almost normal; the temperature falls and the persjiiration dries. It 

 is mostly with difficulty that he is made to rise, and when he attempts 

 it gets up rapidl}- and "all in a heap," as it were, shifting quickly 

 from one to the other foot until they become accustomed again to the 

 weight thrown wpon them. Occasionall}^ a i)atient will get up like a 

 cow, rising upon the hind feet first. Although enforced exercise 

 relieves to some extent the soreness, it is but temporary, for after a 

 few minutes' rest it returns again with all its former severity. 



BoiJi hind feet. — AYhen only both hind feet are affected, thej^ are, 

 while standing, maintained in the same position as when only the fore 

 ones are the subjects of the disease, but with an entirely different 



