AiriJUUI IS. 719 



1S32, Triiger' in 1S30, Noll in 1S40, Darreau^ in 1842, Anacker' in 1848, 

 Roloff^ in ISGo, and Bollinger' in 1S73 and in 1875.'' In Jhiglaiid, 

 perliaps the most valuable description of the malady which has appeared 

 is by SValley." It has been more particularly described as it occurs in the 

 Equine race in Normandy, by Lecoq and Darreau, and in Poitou by 

 Terai ; in North (lermany by Thiger, Bollinger, Strauss, and Koloff. 

 In the Bovine species, it has been portrayed as it prevails in Bour- 

 honnais, by Bt'nard and Gay ; in Switzerland, by Anacker, and in 

 Bavaria by Bollinger. In the Ovine species, Hull describes it as existing 

 in Hungary, llaubner in Saxony, Kuers in Prussia, and Chambert and 

 Cauvert in the South of France. Walley alludes to its principal 

 features as it is witnessed in Lambs in England. 



In some years it prevails very extensively, and appears to be almost 

 ■ nzotitic in some portions of the above-mentioned countries. 



By some authorities it has been supposed to be a constitutional 

 disease, by others as scrofulous in its nature ; while others, again, 

 consider it as essentially pyiemic, and a sequel of purulent omphalo- 

 phlebitis. 



Roloff is of opinion that the afifection is due to an alteration in the 

 blood — to a diminution in the amount of mineral salts in that Huid — a 

 veritable cachexia, in fact, allied to rachitism or osteomalacia. In this 

 view, the inflammation which attacks the joints and is symptomatic of 

 the disorder, should be attributed, primarily, to a cachectic or scrofulous 

 diathesis, and, secondarily, to the traction exercised by the ligaments, 

 connective tissue, and periosteum imperfectly attached to the soft and 

 unequally consistent bones, when the animal moves. 



Walley defines it as an inflammatory affection of the synovial mem- 

 brane of the joints, of a specific character ; hence the terms " Specific 

 Synovitis" and " Specific Arthritis." 



Causes. 



If there is some diversity of opinion as to the etiology of this joint 

 disease of young animals, there is absolute unanimity as to its predis- 

 posing cause — the period of youth, as it only appears dui-ing lactation. 

 This fact disposes of its constitutional or hereditary nature, and has 

 inclined some veterinary pathologists to attribute its occurrence to an 

 alteration in the composition of the milk of the parent. 



Darreau believed that the malady is more frequent among Foals 

 which do not receive the first milk, which contains colostrum ; but this 

 view is not borne out by other obsen-ers. RolofT witnessed its advent 

 in such a manner, that he thought it nmst be sometimes congenital. 

 Walley stated that the causes are entirely local, and can be traced to an 

 impure or antemic condition of the milk of the dam, as the result of 

 improper systems of management, or giving food deficient in the 

 necessary constituents of the blood. Hence, he asserted, it is seen 

 when Ewes have been fed on an abundance of turnips, without a sulfi- 

 cient allowance of hay or corn, particularly if the turnips are decaying, 

 or have been unduly forced with artificial manures. 



' Fiihlenkrankhfi'en. Berlin, 1839. 



- Rentfil df Mnierine Velerinaire, 1842. 



' Kalhfrlahme. Zurich, 1848. 



•• Fohlnihihm''. Berlin, lSt).'>. 



'" Zur Kntt !>%■<.<< dtr Fohknlahmf, Virchow'a Archh; Band, 58, 1S"3. 



" Dutlirli^ Zrit-^chrijt fur Thitrnudicin, 187.'». 



"■ " Joint 111 in Lambs," Vtttrinary Journal, 1876, p. 406. 



