MILLET DISEASE IN HORSES. 
405 
articulates with the trochlea of the femur, especially the in- 
nermcfet concavity, contained numerous indentations, exhibit¬ 
ing a partial destruction of the cartilage. These indentations 
were nearly all oval, a few of them triangular in shape, pit¬ 
like, and some of them quite deep. In the chest inside the 
lateral borders abrupt eminences composed wholly of car¬ 
tilage existed. 
The Tibia .—The proximal extremity showed indentations 
similar in character, but not nearly so numerous as those 
which existed on the distal extremitv of the tibia, and also 
showed more marked deterioration than any of the other 
joints in the limb. The cartilages in the articular grooves 
had completely disappeared in the center, leaving the bone 
exposed. The disease had not existed long enough evidently 
to allow porcelanous deposit to take place ; it was somewhat 
roughened in character. The ridges of the astragalus con¬ 
tained numerous small indentations at their acute angle, and 
showed an almost entire absence of the articular cartilage. 
Fetlock Joint .—Changes similar to those of the femoral pa¬ 
tella and tibula joint. The pastern joint showed very little 
change, and that on the distal extremity of the os suffraginus. 
All the articular surfaces of the < s coronas, of navicular and 
os pedis were normal, with the exception of two small spots 
which existed on the articular surface of the os pedis where it 
articulates with the os corona. 
The ill effects of the feeding of millet occurs mostly 
during cold weather, and in horses that are not at work. 
Whether cold of itself is an important factor, or not, we are 
unable to say, but we think it has more or less to do with the 
diseased condition. One very important factor is the want 
of proper ventilation. The greatest number of affected ani¬ 
mals belonging to any single farm were invariably found in 
barns where ventilation was the poorest. In fact we cannot 
call to mind but a very few cases where the ventilation was 
good. These cases were less severe than those where the 
stables were illy ventilated. They also recovered much more 
quickly. 
