180 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
dram, water 1 quart. A course of bitter tonics (gentian 2 drams, 
sulphate of iron 2 drams, daily) should be given, and a nutritious, 
easily digested, and slightly laxative diet allowed. 
DROPSY OF THE AMNION. 
This differs from simple dropsy of the womb in that the fluid col- 
lects in the inner of the two water bags (that in which the foal floats) 
and not in the otherwise void cavity of the womb. This affection 
can occur only in the pregnant animal, while dropsy of the womb 
occurs in the unimpregnated. The blood of the pregnant mare con- 
tains an excess of water and a smaller proportion of albumen and red 
globules, and when this condition is still further aggravated by poor 
feeding and other unhygienic conditions there is developed the tend- 
ency to liquid transudation from the vessels arid dropsy. As the 
watery condition of the blood increases with advancing pregnancy, 
so dropsy of the amnion is a disease of the last four or five months of 
gestation. The abdomen is large and pendulous, and the swelling 
fluctuates under pressure, though the solid body of the fetus can still 
be felt to strike against the hand pressed into the swelling. If the 
hand is introduced into the vagina, the womb is found to be tense and 
round, with the projecting rounded neck effaced, while the hand in 
the rectum will detect the rounded, swollen mass of the womb so firm 
and tense that the body of the fetus can not be felt within it. The 
mare moves weakly and unsteadily on her limbs, having difficulty in 
supporting the great weight, and in bad cases there may be loss of 
appetite, stocking (dropsy) of the hind limbs, difficult breathing, and 
colicky pains. The tension may lead to abortion, or a slow, labo- 
rious parturition may occur at the usual time. 
Treatment consists in relieving the tension and accumulation by 
puncturing the fetal membrane with a cannula and trocar introduced 
through the neck of the womb and the withdrawal of the trocar so 
as to leave the cannula in situ, or the membranes may be punctured 
with the finger and the excess of liquid allowed to escape. This may 
bring on abortion, or the womb may close and gestation continue to 
the full term. A course of tonics (gentian root 2 drams, sulphate of 
iron 2 drams, daily) will do much to fortify the system and counter- 
act further excessive effusion. 
DROPSY OF THE LIMBS, PERINEUM, AND ABDOMEN. 
The disposition to dropsy often shows itself in the hind and even 
in the fore limbs, around and beneath the vulva (perineum), and be- 
neath the abdomen and chest. The affected parts are swollen and 
pit on pressure, but are not especially tender, and subside more or 
less perfectly under exercise, hand rubbing, and bandages. In ob- 
stinate cases rubbing with the following liniment may be resorted to: 
