LAMINITIS — ACUTE FOUNDER — FEVER IN THE FEET. 145 
thirds of the cases I have seen it has been over-exertion, either 
the pace having been unusually severe, or the distance gone 
greater than ordinary ; and that this is the most usual cause all 
agree. In two cases it supervened as a metastasis, from super- 
purgation, the cessation of the symptoms of the one and the com- 
mencement of those of the other being simultaneous, in three or 
four cases I could not discover any assignable cause, the animals 
having been doing their usual light work in apparent health, and, 
in each of them the disease was first noticed in the morning, 
having apparently commenced during the night. — Castley and 
Goodwin, both good authorities, mention standing an unusual 
time on board ship as a cause. I should only venture to differ 
from them so far as to inquire whether this may not rather be con- 
sidered as a predisposing than an immediate cause of the disease, 
as both agree that it is some short time after landing that it be- 
comes developed. 
But the symptoms of this disease, are they equivocal or difficult 
of recognition ! If we believe all we read, they certainly must 
be both one and the other, for, as we are informed, “ the symptoms 
of acute founder have been mistaken for those of pnuemonia, en- 
teritis, nephritis, and colic.” It is curious that any third disease 
could be mistaken for pneumonia or enteritis, of which two dis- 
eases no series of symptoms could be more dissimilar, or indeed so 
diametrically opposed to each other ! This, however, will lead us, 
by and by, to notice an anomaly in the symptoms of laminitis. 
So far, however, from agreeing with this account, I should say 
that, if there is any one disease more strongly marked and 
instantly recognizable than another, with the single exception of 
tetanus, it is laminitis. If on your first visit you find your patient 
standing with an intensely quick hard pulse, with most accelerated 
breathing, dilated nostrils, and severely distressed, having all the 
appearance of a severe attack of pnuemonia, still you will not 
require the animal to move to undeceive you ; for the very first 
effort to move, without his even taking a foot from the ground, 
will as clearly and certainly indicate laminitis as if he had been 
walked round the yard. The effect this singular attempt at motion 
produces on the mind is, that the animal, making levers of the pos- 
terior extremities, is lifting by the force of sheer muscular power 
the weight from off his fore feet. It is not a roll, or a lurch, or a 
spasm, but it is a concentrated muscular effort to remove the 
weight from the fore feet, and suspend it over the hind ones : — it 
is perfectly unmistakable. 
If, on the contrary, your first visit is paid while the horse is 
lying down, you will at once recognize pain and distress : the 
locale of the mischief will not be indicated till he rises, but the 
VOL. XVII. U 
