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PATHOLOGY OF LAMINITIS. 
PASSIVE LAMINITIS. 
The portentous phenomena attending the premonitory in- 
dications of this stage of disease are deserving our most 
serious consideration. An observant practitioner will be 
able to discern Nature speaking to us by them, and we ought 
to listen to her. They are her emissaries, choosing where 
to migrate, yet governed by definite laws. The theory 
of similarity of structure inducing similarity of disease is a 
plausible one, and full of interest ; but if it were practically 
true in all its bearings, we must frequently have, as an 
unavoidable consequence, the laminae of the hind feet attacked 
as well as those of the fore feet : if not at the same time, 
they must, of necessity, become so soon after, as they are 
subject to such inordinate labour; but this scarcely ever 
occurs, although composed of precisely the same kind of 
tissue ; neither does the originally lame foot become affected 
with laminitis, consequent on similarity of tissue, although it 
is weakened and predisposed from recent inflammation during 
the time that disease is prevailing in the opposite one. There 
is also another view that rather militates against it, viz., the 
unquestionably strong constitutional differences we meet with. 
In pleurisy, for instance, there is extreme susceptibility to 
the influence of any purgative agent, but in laminitis w r e 
have the most obstinate and sluggish state of the bowels 
present. In all cases during the earliest appreciable deviation 
from health, the treatment must, of necessity, partake of a 
general character, as no constitutional tendency can be 
known by us to exist, and this is beautifully demonstrated in 
humour. The very earliest signs discernible are languor, 
followed by rigors, then disturbance of the respiration, and 
the pulse ranging about 70, and usually hard. These 
symptoms all show themselves within half an hour. But 
what I want to impress on the mind of my readers is, that 
this is only humour in embryo; it is just arriving at a 
climax, having been gradually assuming this state for weeks. 
Up to this moment there is not the slightest indication of any 
stiffness, tenderness, or tumefaction, but if left alone this 
will show itself in a remarkably short space of time. Bleed 
now promptly, and you will prevent the further development 
of the disease, for when energetic measures are resorted to at 
the onset of an attack, nature seems as if conscious of our 
interference. The enemy recedes reluctantly, and disputes 
every inch of ground that we dispossess him of. If we will 
only narrowly observe, we shall see at times the whole 
