156 
THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC AMONG HORSES. 
be regarded as critical, indicative of an approaching favourable 
termination ; in the latter it cannot be so regarded, but rather must 
be viewed as declarative of the spread of the inflammatory action 
into the superficial tissues, in particular into the cellular membrane, 
imparting to the case the character of what we call diffuse in- 
flammation of the cellular membrane. The effusion, in fact, into 
the cellular substance, when the swelling indicates turn or decline 
in the disease, is of an cedematous or dropsical nature, pitting under 
the pressure of the finger; whereas that which sets in early 
having the solid and resistent feel above described, is evidently 
more of the character of albuminous than serous deposit, apparently 
from its being the result of a higher degree of inflammation. And 
this last is a species of anasarca not only likely to continue through 
the inflammatory stages, but not to give way until the patient is 
some way advanced in convalescence, and now and then not to 
give way at all without treatment : indeed, on occasions, its treat- 
ment proves very troublesome and considerably retards the pro- 
gress of convalescence. 
LAMENESS suddenly appearing either in one hind or one fore leg, 
continuing for a certain time in that, and then attacking another hind 
or fore leg, is another remarkable symptom, or rather sequel, of this 
strange fantastic malady. The animal has passed the ordeal of in- 
flammatory action ; he is, though debilitated by what he has gone 
through, in a state of convalescence, when suddenly he manifests 
lameness to that degree that he absolutely hops round his box 
upon three legs, and can with much ado rise upon his feet after 
lying down. So little apparent cause may there be for this un- 
looked-for lameness externally, that the persons in attendance 
think it right to have his foot examined, imagining something may 
have run into it, HoweveF, the examination proves a fruitless 
one — nothing is to be found in the foot, nor, sometimes, beyond a 
little unusual heat, even in the lame leg ; though in other cases 
there is manifestly swelling, heat, and tenderness, along the course 
of the flexor tendons, and around the fetlock-joint as well probably. 
So palpable, indeed, is the tumefaction of these parts sometimes, 
that a person, not aware of the nature of these attacks, might sup- 
pose the animal had sprained his fetlock or tendons. 
To account for this singular lameness must be the task of wiser 
heads than ours. The groom tells us it certainly must be the 
“ humour” or the “ complaint ” that has “ fallen into his horse’s 
legs and so we think ourselves, without, any more for that, being 
able to explain the matter : we call it metastasis — the disease trans- 
lated from one part into another : still, however, only th e fact is 
named, the explanation stands untouched. A veterinary surgeon 
— an intimate friend of mine, now deceased — who obtained many 
years ago a commission in one of our cavalry regiments, pronounced 
