664 
LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
character. But acute laminitis is very often referrible to a distinct 
act of over- work or excessive exertion, which is rarely the case 
in the sub-acute affection. We certainly find the disease some- 
times creeping on the horse while he is at work ; but then, again, 
sometimes we find it come on him during the time that he is idle 
or even absolutely at rest. Within these few years past I have 
had in my practice two remarkable instances of this. 
An old horse, three-parts -bred, who had done a great deal of 
work in the royal stables, and who at the time he was growing 
stale upon his legs and feet was presented by the Queen to Col. C., 
after having in the Colonel’s service, as an occasional charger, 
done little else but taking daily walking exercise for the space of 
about three years, became attacked with sub-acute laminitis, first 
in one fore foot, then in the fellow one. The disease was subdued, 
but returned, and returned after this again ; and in this way, after 
being from time to time combatted w r ith and mitigated, ultimately 
ended in pumice feet, through which the horse was rendered un- 
serviceable, and, in the end, was destroyed. Another case of the 
kind occurred in Major B.’s charge. The horse, during the time 
his master was on the continent, had been laid up, alias turned 
loose in a box without shoes on his feet, to do nothing. During 
this state of idleness he was attacked, in the same insidious manner 
in which the Colonel’s horse had been, with sub-acute laminitis; 
for which, after being twice so far relieved and patched up as to be 
enabled to attempt his work so far as walking for the space of a 
couple of miles or so went (to do his guard), he eventually became 
reduced to the same state — pumice feet — the former horse was, and 
met with the same fate. 
Diagnosis. — That the acute and sub-acute are different forms 
or varieties of laminitis has, I trust, been demonstrably pointed out: 
the one consisting in violent and destructive inflammation; the other 
in inflammation of much less intensity and force and of insidious ori- 
gin, though hardly less disorganizing termination. There exists 
that broad line of distinction between them, that we are under no 
apprehension in practice of mistaking one for the other. Neither 
is sub-acute laminitis, in its stealthy beginning and tardy progress, 
likely to be confounded with navicularthritis ; since the cir- 
cumstance of the horse in one disease stepping short and quick, 
and going upon the toes , while in the other he makes every effort, 
in his walk even as well as trot, to elongate his step so that his feet 
may come to the ground upon the heels , will, along with other 
circumstances, be found sufficiently characteristic to distinguish 
the two diseases. 
The Treatment of Sub-acute Laminitis is ever undertaken 
with more or less disadvantage, from the circumstance of the dis- 
ease, in the majority of cases, having got the start of the practi- 
