254 
HINTS FROM A SUBSCRIBER. 
effect upon her. About twelve at midnight she fell down, but 
rose again in a few minutes, and resumed her former position. 
About two o’clock A.M., on the 31st of March, she fell again for 
the last time. I sat up with her until nearly four, watching her, 
and then retired to rest, not thinking I could do any good. When 
the stable door was opened at six, she was found no more, and 
nearly cold : — thus ended the life of the poor brute. I examined 
her in the course of the morning, and found the whole of the right 
side of the heart dilated to an enormous size, and easily torn with 
the finger, with red spots upon the base of the heart; also portions 
of albuminous matter in the interior, shewing that, under excite- 
ment, active inflammation had set in, which was the immediate 
cause of her death. 
Remarks . — In all cases such as the above I have noticed the 
following symptoms as being confirmatory of dilatation, — the pecu- 
liar pulse, pendulous head, jerking respiration, obstinate standing 
position, never attempting to lie down ; with occasional swelling 
of the extremities, fastidious appetite, and the fluttering or irregular 
manner in which the blood is seen to pass into the chest ; also con- 
tinual sighing, which latter symptom is generally present, parti- 
cularly towards the last. A mare which I once attended was 
carried off with diarrhoea. 
Jersey, April 7, 1847. 
HINTS FROM A SUBSCRIBER. 
Sir, — I t has often occurred to me, and, no doubt, also to you, 
that, in cases of severe strain of the back sinews in a horse, his 
pain would be greatly modified by applying a high-heeled shoe, 
made on the principle of a sandal shoe, over his common shoe, 
instead of jarring his suffering limb by taking off the common shoe 
to put on the high-heeled one*. If you consider this suggestion of 
any value, it might be made generally known through your Maga- 
zine. Another means of mitigating the suffering of animals is the 
practice of clipping long-coated dogs in summer, and yet (by means 
of a half-inch thick steel comb slightly curved) leaving enough 
hair to preserve their beauty. 
Your obedient servant, 
A Subscriber. 
Granada, 12th March, 1847. 
* The substitution of a high or thick-heeled shoe for the common shoe is 
our constant practice ; nor does the unnailing and nailing give that pain or 
do that mischief which our humane “ Subscriber” imagines. — Ec. Vet. 
