LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
485 
ing posture afore described. This commotion increases his suffer- 
ings, so that he pants now harder than ever, and quite sobs or 
grunts with pain. One would think that the recumbent posture 
would be that affording most relief to the poor sufferer : this, how- 
ever, does not appear always to be the case ; for in many instances 
the standing position is doggedly maintained to the last. The horse, 
although evidently in the greatest state of suffering, will not lie 
down ; but will stand in one corner of his box, with his nose over 
his pail of water, pawing and scraping, either with one foot alone or 
alternate feet, all day long and all night long. On the other hand, 
some horses will stand at rest, or, at least, only shift or raise their 
feet, one or both of them, for the sake of getting ease. This vari- 
ableness in regard to standing and lying down in the disease has 
led to some disputes among veterinarians of experience ; such, how- 
ever, as admitted of adjustment by the notorious facts that both 
parties were in a measure right and in a measure wrong*. 
When the hind feet are exclusively affected , D’Arboval informs 
us that the attitude is altered. -Instead of the fore feet being ad- 
vanced and placed as much as possible upon the heels, they are 
directed backwards underneath the body in order to relieve the 
hind, which are still brought forward to support all the weight 
they can upon their heels. And the attempt to walk now becomes 
even more formidable than before ; for, positioned as central props 
of support as the fore feet now are, underneath the animal, their 
removal costs him much more pain and effort. And, from being 
unaccustomed to bear so much weight, they remain not long in this 
situation before they become affected themselves with the disease. 
This extension of laminitis to all four feet makes matters still 
worse. The standing becomes now so painful and insecure, that 
the patient is more likely to lie than to stand. The recumbent is 
a posture, indeed, so much at present preferred, that we have insu- 
perable difficulty in rousing him up upon his feet. As for walk- 
ing, he can hardly manage progression any how, and will not, indeed, 
attempt it. 
The hoofs are hot. The inflammation is so intense, that heat is 
transmitted through the (nearly half-inch) thickness of the crust 
to our hand. The sole of the hoof, and the frog even, likewise 
feel hot. Blood has been seen to ooze from the coronett. 
Throbbing of the pastern arteries is another well-marked symp- 
tom. These are the vessels which supply the inflamed parts with 
blood. They are, under inflammatory action, in a state of fulness, 
and pulsate violently under pressure of the fingers. There is also 
Fulness of the pastern and coronet, and tenderness , sometimes, of 
* See the discussions of “ The London Veterinary Society,” in The 
Veterinarian for 1829, vol. ii, p. 39. 
f “ Posthumous Veterinary Records” of the late Mr. Field. 
