loo the; horsb. 



Blephantiasis. In severe cases the skin loses its hair in patches, 

 the limb remains more or less enlarged due to a fibrous growth, which is 

 known by the name of Elephantiasis. 



What to Do. Externally; bathe the leg every ten or fifteen minutes 

 for six or eight hours with vinegar and water, equal parts, to which add 

 two ounces of nitrate of potassium to each gallon of the mixture. At 

 the end of the bathing; dry with woolen cloths and bathe with camphor- 

 ated soap Uniment. Internally; give tincture of digitalis and aconite root, 

 equal parts of each, thirty drops every hour until the fever and pulse 

 become reduced Half-ounce doses of nitrate of potassium in the drink- 

 ing water every six hours; bran mashes; and complete rest. This treat- 

 ment if used early in the attack very often brings about a remarkable 

 change within twenty -four hours. 



DISEASES OF THE MUSCLES. 



Lameness of the shoulder, caused by violent muscular contraction in 

 starting heavy loads, jumping, slipping on smooth, icy roads or barn 

 floors, is of frequent occurrence. The external symptons are not usually 

 very well marked, and errors often occur by mistaking this trouble for 

 other affections. The lameness is not intermittent but continued. It is 

 more marked when the bones are diseased together with the muscles. 

 When the animal moves the shoulderblade (92) and the bone of the upper 

 arm (77) are sometimes almost immovable, and when walking the entire 

 mass of muscle is displaced by being dragged forward without either 

 flexion or extention. In many cases there is a certain amount of swell- 

 ing, and in other cases instead there is muscular atrophy. This is com- 

 monly called " Sweenied. " It is not itself a cause of shoulder lameness, 

 although this condition may interfere with perfect action "Sweenied" 

 shoulders are more often caused by diseases below the fetlock than to 

 aflFections above the elbow. 



Give the animal plenty of rest. Warm wet blankets are of great 

 service, and in addition put on camphor, belladonna, or liniments. 

 Later it may be necessary to use the blistering compound on page 162, 

 and finally, when necessity demands it, the firing iron and the seton. 



The great essential condition of cure, and the one that will help pre- 

 vent a relapse, is rest, irrespective of any other* prescriptions with which 

 it may be associated. 



