LAMINITIS. 
739 
Questions. 
How is displacement of the bone 
effeeted ? 
Has effusion any part in this dis- 
plaeemeiit ? 
When does effusion take place? 
What is the character of the effu¬ 
sion ? 
At what rate does the effusion, so 
called, take place ? 
Why does not the effusion burst 
out and escape from the coronet ? 
From what vessels does this plastic 
secretion or so-called elfusion 
take place ? 
Is there any appreciable effusion at 
all in ordinary cases of the dis¬ 
ease ? 
Answers. 
By persistent traction downwards 
and backwards of the toe of the 
os pedis, caused by the weight of 
the body being unduly thrown on 
the flexor pedis tendon, instead 
of the weight being supported 
on the bony pillars of his legs, as 
it is in a healthy condition when 
at rest. 
None whatever. 
Not within the flrst two or three 
days. 
Not fluid, but plastic lymph for 
organization. 
Very slowly indeed, and only as is 
required for reparation or conver¬ 
sion into horny laminse. 
Because it is not a morbid product, 
and does not exist in sufiicient 
quantity. 
From the same vessels that the 
laminae lining the wall of the hoof 
are secreted or nourished. 
I never saw any. Cases of slough¬ 
ing hoof are excluded because 
extraordinary. 
The disease rapidly becomes inflammatory, involving the 
whole vascular system of the foot, and the distended state of the 
vessels in the os pedis causes the intense pain, to relieve which 
the weight of the body is thrown from the hone on to the 
flexor tendons and ligaments, causing the antero-inferior mar¬ 
gin of the os pedis to be drawn downwards and backwards in 
virtue of the attachment of the flexor pedis tendon to its infe¬ 
rior surface. The extensor pedis tendon being relaxed, the 
spinous process of the os pedis bulges forward, carrying with 
it the coronary ligaments, and the supero-anterior part of the 
wall of the hoof; its centre in front falls in, and the toe 
bulges from the organised lymph, forming hypertrophied 
laminae occupying the space of the receded bone, and the 
margin of the latter becomes absorbed by abnormal action of 
the blood-vessels, while the foramina of the bone become 
dilated, making it light and porous. The pressure of the 
antero-inferior edge of the bone not only arrests its own de¬ 
velopment, but prevents, by pressure, the growth of the horny 
sole, which consequently becomes thin and absorbed until 
protrusion of the bone and suppuration result. 
Treatment must be constitutional as well as local. As 
Mr. Dyer said, we have a fire and must put it out.” 
