266 DISEASES OF BONE. 



matter in the forage ; and would accordingly advise complete change of grass 

 or hay. I have in no ca^e been able to trace the disease to the consumption 

 of any particular kind of corn. Knowing the good effects of the administration 

 of salts of lime, iron, phosphorus (page 269), and fat (in the form of cod liver 

 oil, linseed oil or butter, for instance) in apparently allied diseases of bone, we 

 might also employ these agents here. 



TREATMENT. — Mr. Bems, whose experience of this disease is 

 similar to that of Mr, Elliot, states that he has seen well-developed 

 cases cured solely by change to a dry location. We should change 

 the grass or hay. Give if possible (as is the custom in Australia 

 and South Africa) unthrashed young oats (oaten hay). If sound 

 hay or. grass different to that on which the affected animal was 

 fed, be unobtainable, I would substitute for it, bran and straw, 

 say, seven pounds of the former (to be given dry) and a full supply 

 of the latter. I recommend bran, because it is very digestible, 

 and contains a larpfe amount of bone forming material. 



Mr. Woods, F.R.C.V.S. ("The Veterinary Journal" for August, 

 1879), writes: — "Several slight cases, which were at once brought 

 oat of the (coal) pits, recovered. They were put in loose boxes 

 at the farm, and treated with a mild laxative (linseed oil), followed 

 by mineral tonics and chlorate of potass dissolved in the drinking 

 water. Mashes and grass were given as food." A pint of linseed 

 oil would be sufficient as a laxative ; and a drachm of sulphate of 

 iron might be given daily in the food, and 1 oz. of chlorate of 

 potass in the water. Salt should be supplied, either in the form 

 of a large lump of rock salt, for the animal to lick when he likes ; 

 or mixed in the food, to an amount of 3 or 4 oz. daily. We might 

 treat as for rickets (see following section). 



Rickets. 



Rickets is a disease of youth, namely, of a period of life during 

 which development of bone takes place. It is rare in the horse, 

 and is almost entirely confined to foals and yearlings. It also 

 affects children, monkeys, ruminants, rodents, marsupials, large 

 and small cats, bears, swine, dogs, seals, birds, and probably all 

 other animals possessed of bones. T. D. A. Cockerell considers 

 that even shell fish suffer from it. " So frequent is it among 

 qua.drumana that half the monkeys and lemurs brought to this 

 country die rickety" {Bland Sutton). 



NATURE AND CAUSES.— Rickets is a general disease in which 

 the principal manifestations are increased development of new 

 bone which is abnormally soft and weak, and the formation of 

 bony tumours (exostoses), especially about the joints. The exist- 

 ing bone remains practically unchanged. The surface of the 



