THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
YOL. XXV, 
No. 296. 
AUGUST, 1852. 
Third Series, 
No. 56. 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
By Wm. Gavin, M.R.C.V.S. Malton, York. 
Inflammation of the Plantar Absorbents. 
To the Editor of “ The Veterinarian .” 
Dear Sir, —In one of your Numbers, which I have not 
by me at present, there is a very excellent article on this 
disease, and I merely send you this contribution in addition 
to what the author of the paper I allude to has stated re¬ 
garding it. I am sorry I cannot recall his name at present. 
The disease is usually considered a sthenic one. From 
what I have seen, it does not appear to me that the animal’s 
condition at the time has much to do with its production. 
I have met with it in animals in every state of condition, 
most frequently, however, in good, and always used in draught; 
never in thoroughbreds, unless the result of accident. Bleed¬ 
ing and physicing, which so rapidly produce amelioration in 
the plethoric, is inadmissible in very poor patients, but in 
these last I have never had any cases of suppuration. The 
age of the animal does not appear to affect the occurrence of 
this inflammatory action. The rule of its occurring on a 
Monday or Tuesday morning has some exceptions, though 
not many, and its nearly always taking place in the near 
hind leg, has as few exceptions as the other. I met with it 
once in the off fore leg. It is attended with intolerable pain 
and great irritative fever. The smallest pressure on the course 
of the vessels produces a sudden catching up of the leg, 
which remains flexed for a second or two (relieving the 
pressure arising from the skin), and then it is gently put 
down again. I did not observe this in the fore leg (the glands 
in the axilla were involved), which was kept stiff and straight. 
I shall not trouble you with any cases of complete recovery, 
but remark that I have three times seen it end in suppuration, 
one of which was fatal. The first of these occurred on 
Feb. 3, 1848, in a roan draught mare, half bred, which was 
VOL. xxv. 3 L 
