OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



187 



day, for instance. This disease is called by some Monday 

 morning sickness. In Scotland it is called the ''weed." In 

 England it is called the ''shot of grease" or the "shakes." The 

 affected lymphatics swell and become inflamed. 



Pathogenesis.— T\\^ blood is plethoric and the lymphatic ducts 

 become congested on account of overwork. We presume that 

 in such a case the metabolism during the forty-eight hours previ- 

 ous to the attack has been slight and the nutrition great enough to 

 clog the lymphatic ducts. This seems to act much the same as 

 active congestion in altering the nutrition of the part. The in- 

 flammation may be so severe as to run into the third stage and 

 may result in an abscess. 



Symptoms.— li the horse is in a warm stable he will be found 

 in the morning with a chill, which is sometimes very severe. The 

 severity of the attack depends upon the severity of this chill. In 

 the course of a couple of hours the doctor will be called and when 

 he arrives he will find the horse lame in a hind leg. The tempera- 

 ture will be about 106. The swelling increases rapidly and runs 

 down the inside of the leg in the inguinal chain of lymphatics 

 and varies in size from the size of a 'finger to that of a wrist. 

 By the end of the first day the whole leg becomes involved from 

 the foot to the stifle. When the inflammation subsides it will 

 leave the leg large for at least ten days and sometimes perma- 

 nently. An abscess may form as large as a fist or it may hold a 

 quart or two of pus. During all this time the animal is off his 

 feed. His appetite returns as the fever subsides. One attack 

 predisposes an animal to another, and each time the affected leg 

 is left a little larger until the horse gets the chronic big leg, 

 called Elephantiasis. This enlargement is fibroid all the way up 

 the lee and it is incurable. If the enlargement is not fibroid in 

 nature then being oedematous, exercise will help drive it out. 

 Trmtment.—li called to an acute case during the chill, treat 

 it vigorously. Give aconite and alcohol or spirits of nitrous 

 ether every fifteen minutes until the horse begins to sweat and 

 keep him well blanketed. Drop off the frequency of the dose as 

 soon as the chill subsides. Give him aconite, spirits of nitrous 

 etiher, nitrate of potash and water after the chill has subsided. 

 Q\y§: tthese every hour or two and take off some of the blankets. 



