rought forward beneath the body to receive
as much weight as possible, thereby relieving the diseased ones. If
progression is attempted, which rarely happens voluntarily during the
first three or four days, it is accomplished with very great pain and
lameness at the starting, which usually subsides to an extent after a
few minutes' exercise. During this exercise, if the animal happens to
step upon a small stone or other hard substance, he stumbles painfully
and is excessively lame in the offended member for a number of steps,
owing to the acute pain which pressure upon the sole causes in the
tissues beneath. The manner of the progression is pathognomonic of the
complaint. Sometimes the affected feet are simultaneously raised from
the ground (the hind ones sustaining the weight), then advanced a short
distance and carefully replaced; at almost the same moment the hind ones
are quickly shuffled forward near to the center of gravitation.

In other instances one foot at a time is advanced and placed with the
heel upon the ground in the same careful manner, all causes of
concussion being carefully avoided. In attempting to back the animal he
is found to be almost stationary, simply swaying the body backward on
the haunches and elevating the toes of the diseased feet as they rest
upon their heels. In attempting to turn either to the right or left he
allows his head to be drawn to the one side to its full extent before
moving, then makes his hind feet the axis around which the forward ones
describe a shuffling circle.

In most of cases of laminitis in the fore feet the animal persists in
standing until he is nearly recovered. In other cases he as persistently
lies, standing only when necessity seems to compel it, and then for as
short a time as possible. If the recumbent position is once assumed, the
relief experienced tempts the patient to seek it again; so we often find
him down a greater part of the time. But this is not true of all cases;
sometimes he will make the experiment, then cautiously guard against a
repetition. Even in cases of enforced recumbency, he ofttimes takes
advantage of the first opportunity and gets upon his feet, doggedly
remaining there until again laid upon his side. How to explain this
diversity of action I do not know; theoretically the recumbent position
is the only appropriate one, except when complications exist, and the
one which should give the most comfort, yet it is rejected by very many
pat