I'AirrrniHXT lamimtis. 67i 



its limbs — the fore ones especially — continually, wliile it exhibits si^'ns of 

 sutYering. There is fever, quick and hard pulse, hurried respiration, and 

 all the other signs of this most distressing foot-inflammation, the most 

 marked of which at this time is the disregard of the progeny. In other 

 cases the attack is more gradual ; there is loss of appetite, great thirst, 

 depression, hurried respiration, full, hard, and quick i)ulse, constipation, 

 etc. — premonitory symptoms which may continue for two, three, or four 

 days. The fore or hind feet may be affected. Tisserant and Guilmot 

 say the former, Deneubourg the latter ; though in some instances all the 

 feet may be involved. The position of the animal, if standing, indicates 

 the feet affected, and they are found to be extremely hot, the plantar 

 arteries throbbing, and percussion of the hoof causes intense pain. 

 During the inflanmiatitm the Mare evinces the greatest agony. If all 

 the feet are implicated, standing may be impossible; the expression is 

 anxious and pinched ; the respiration is hurried, jerking, and plaintive, 

 and the nostrils widely dilated ; the skin is usually covered with per- 

 spiration, and the production of milk is completely checked. Indeed, 

 the rapid disappearance of this secretion has attracted the attention of 

 nearly every observer. In the evening perhaps, there will be an abun- 

 dant supply of milk, and in the morning mulsion or suction will only 

 obtain a few drops of a transparent or reddish tluid, though the mamma3 

 may look as full and as well developed as usual. This suppression of its 

 supply of food is soon testified to by the Foal, which betrays its sensa- 

 tions of hunger by becoming less timid, and making itself familiar with 

 those around it. 



The duration of the disease is from four to eight days; Franck says 

 from eight to fourteen days. The symptoms are certainly most intense 

 between the fourth and eighth day. The termination is generally 

 recovery, if proper treatment has been adopted ; though in some cases 

 the malady assumes a chronic form, with the accompanying deformity 

 and disorganisation of the feet. In rare instances, death may ensue 

 from nervous exhaustion caused by the excessive pain; or the intlamma- 

 tiun may run on to suppuration, and a fatal result arise from pyjcmia, 

 with purulent deposits in the lungs, brain, or other organs. 



A favourable or unfavourable prognosis may, according to Guilmot, 

 be gained from the lacteal secretion. If this returns in tlie course of a 

 few days, it is a good sign. 



Causes. 



The cause or causes of parturient laminitis ai-e imperfectly known. 

 The prcdisposinij cause is generally recognised to be the parturient state, 

 though there is a wide divergence of opinion as to the way in which the 

 disease originates. Tisserant believed that it is due to a disturbance in 

 the functional equilibrium existing between the various organs. After 

 parturition, and particularly after abortion, there is manifestly a dis- 

 turbance of this kind ; there is, as Kainard correctly states, a general 

 superabundance of blood, and consequently a tendency to disease until 

 the equilibrium between production and consumption is restored. 

 Guilmot thinks that the space left by the fcctus must necessarily bring 

 about a series of exceptional phenomena, whose point of departure is 

 perhaps the superfluous supply of blood thrown into the circulation 

 after parturition. Deneubourg sees in this disease and parturient 

 collapse of the Cow, two different " modes of expression " of the same 

 disease ; and while recognising the justness of the expression employed 

 by the old hippiatrists, that " the fever has fallen into the feet," he is 



