538 SYMPTOMS OF FOUNDER; THE [BOOK III. 



than a day or two. Its appearance in the most 

 decided form is at the junction of the crust and 

 sole. 



The slower or chronic founder begins with ap- 

 parently rheumatic pains and awkwardness of going, 

 for which he usually receives the whip. After a 

 while, flattening sometimes appears on the front 

 of the hoof, and the heels contract : the older ani- 

 mals have now short, brittle, shining hoofs, with 

 the small pastern bone deeper sunk than heretofore ; 

 the hollow of the sole is converted into the convex, 

 or pumice foot, so that the animal can scarce find 

 foot-hold on the ground, but will slip and slide 

 about. He is then considered groggy, or grawgy, 

 that is to say, " like a drunkard," and may last 

 many years : this is really chest founder, and indeed 

 the whole limb is usually affected up to the very 

 chest, though chronic affections of the lungs, or 

 consumption is also denominated chest founder. 



Whether the attack be of the acute or the chro- 

 nic kind, it dies if not relieved ; for the coffin-bone 

 becomes rotten, and the hoof is cast off without the 

 possibility of ever being renovated. In some con- 

 stitutions, nature lends its aid in critically raising a 

 tumour at the coronet, the breaking whereof and 

 the discharge of offensive matter effects a cure. 

 The same sort of critical tumour as denoting the 

 crisis of general fever, or inflammation, was noticed 

 at page 319, " Critical Abscess." 



Remedy, — As soon as discovered take off the 

 shoe, note well the condition of the sole, the heat, 



