264 
RHEUMATISM IN THE HORSE. 
of power to expel the contents of the ventricle? — or is there 
some particular constitution of the blood itself, which, in cer- 
tain states of the system, gives it a tendency to coagulate — 
as we know that at other times the coagulation is prevented ? 
These are questions which much concern us. Mr. W. Perci- 
vall has nobly and beautifully led the way to the unravelling 
of some of these mysteries in that invaluable work, his “ Hip- 
popathology.” The field is wide, and there is ample room for 
other labourers.] 
Y. 
RHEUMATISM IN THE HORSE. 
By Mr. W. C. Spooner, US., Southampton. 
It cannot be doubted that rheumatism, both in its acute and 
chronic form, is met with, from time to time, in the horse, though 
by no means so frequently as in the human subject. I am, how- 
ever, inclined to think that it exists oftener than is generally sup- 
posed, and many of those flying obscure lamenesses are doubtless 
of this character, and account for the anomalous fact now and 
then to be found, of a lame horse working sound. I have in my 
eye several instances of this occurring. The diseases of joints in 
colts, late noticed in The Veterinarian both by foreign and 
domestic authorities, are doubtless of a rheumatismal character : 
a few cases that I have met with in colts appeared of this na- 
ture, the disease flying from one joint to another, and attended 
with large and painful swellings. Cattle, perhaps, are still more 
subject to this disease, and under the obscure names of joint 
felon and joint murrain we have an inflammatory disease of the 
joints and sinews of a rheumatic type. — A short time since I was 
requested to examine a cow that had calved two months pre- 
viously in a cold and wet situation, which, according to my in- 
formant, had given her a chill across the loins ; for she had been 
unable to walk or stand since. She had been under the care of 
a farrier, who, finding at length that the joints were much swol- 
len, said she had the joint murrain, and therefore he could do 
nothing more for her. I found considerable swellings in front of 
each knee, which, though soft, did not appear to contain pus. 
The off hind hock and leg was also much swollen, and very pain- 
ful, and in several places the skin was worn through to the bone 
from constantly lying down. The pulse was very quick, and al- 
though the animal would still feed, the constitution was evidently 
