nourishment, and as soon as his wants are satisfied again
lies down.

With the disease in a hind-foot matters are not taken so comfortably. The
patient finds that with each day's increasing weakness the difficulty that
at first he had to raise himself with only one sound hind-foot becomes
enormously increased. The consequence is that he fears to go down, and the
standing position is maintained until sheer weakness overcomes him, and he
goes down, not to rise again without assistance.

If judiciously attended he is, of course, put in slings before this stage
is reached; but there are instances, as in the case of a cart-mare heavy
with foal, where the use of slings is most decidedly contra-indicated.

If doubt before existed as to the nature of the case, it is at a later
stage dispelled by the appearance, generally in the hollow of the heel, of
a hot and painful swelling. This at first is hard, but later fluctuates.
Finally it breaks at one or more spots, and there exudes from the opening
or openings a purulent and oftentimes sanious discharge, which coagulates
about each fistula after the manner of ordinary synovia.

With the discharge of the abscess contents there is some slight improvement
in the symptoms. Here, with a suitable treatment, and with a patient of a
particularly robust constitution, the case appears to turn, and slowly but
surely progresses towards the only end we can hope for--namely, a more or
less painless anchylosis of the articulation.

In less favourable cases the purulent discharge continues, and (always a
bad sign) becomes more or less chocolate-like in colour, distinctly thin,
and stinking. The diseased process spreads until the ligaments of the
joint, both by reason of their infiltration with the inflammatory
discharges, and also on account of the ravages made on them by the invading
pus, either greatly stretch or altogether rupture.

The joint, after its ligaments have been destroyed in this manner, is
loosened, and the bones are now freely movable. Their manipulation gives
to the touch a sickening, grating sound--in other words, we have crepitus.
This, of course, indicates that the articular cartilages have become
greatly eroded by the inflammatory process, and so left what we may term
'raw' surfaces of bone to rub together. When the animal is put to the walk
the toe of the foot is elevated, and the extreme mobility of the foot gives
one the idea of fracture. With every step there is a pec