The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-07-24
FOUNDER IN HORSES.
A Very Common Disease. and How It Should
he Treated.

A Very Common Disease. and How 1t Should
BE Treated.
Acute rheumatism is very common
disease among horses. When it reaches
the chronic stage it is nothing more nor
less than founder. In cases of this kind
the whole muscular system sometimes
seems affected, and it often is. At
others the fore or hind parts alone or the
feet appear affected. Founder is pro-
duced by chilling the animal when ex-
hausted or much fatigued; he may be
chilled after brisk drive by exposure
to the weather, by external influences,
or he may be chilled by imbibing cold
water in quantity sufficient to reduce
the temperature of the system too sud-
denly. Driving into a pond when in a
state of perspiration or exposing the
horse to a cold wind or rain are also
fruitful sources of rheumatism and foun-
der. The disease is apt at times to To-
cate in circumscribed situations, about a
joint or muscular region.
Treatment of Acute Rheumatism.
The first prescription is invariably the
following nauseating cathartic: Six
drachms of powdered aloes and two
drachms of powdered lobelia in one
pint of warm water. Free action of the
bowels must be persisted in, and they
must afterward be kept soluble by
means of some such remedy as the fol-
lowing: Two drachms each of cream
of tartar. sulphur, podophyllum and
wine of cOlchicum, mixed in a pint of
thin Cruel, and given as drench. This
medicine should be continued as occa-
sion may require; for example, suspend
ing it when the discharges are frequent
and again resumipg it when peristaltic
action is tardy. In view of increasing
cutaneous exhalation give an infusion of
lobelia and pleurisy root, half an ounce
of each to half a gallon of boiling wa
ter; when macerated sufficiently strain
and add gill of honey. Dose: One
pint every four or six ho,Ts When car
ricd beyond certain point large or re-
peated doses of medicine are sure to do
harm, for this disease is located in It's
sues that are under the dominion of the
nerves of external relation; these tissues
may be highly excited and painful, in
consequence of the congested state of
the capillaries; at the same time the Vi
tai fuid-blood-is deficient in the re-
giun of the nutritive tissues. There is
more danger in giving too much than
too little medicine. Steam is very bene-
fetal in treating rheumatism,
but in case that is not
obtainable the capillary absOr-
bents must be excited with the follow
ing external application: Two ounces
of spirits of camphor, one ounce of tine
ture of Indian hemp and four ounces of
olive oil; mix and lubricate the stiff and
painful regions daily, and cover them
with flannel. The diet during the in
tlammatory stage should be light. con-
sisting of sloppy mashes. Linseed tea
and water, acidulated with cream of
tartar, form the best drink for fever pa
tients. The diagnostic symptoms of
acute rheumatism are great pain, eiic-
tied by pressure or motion; swelling Of
the limb or body, as the case may be;
febrile symptoms are present; some
thirst; the urine has very pungent odor;
the pulse is full and and hard, peristal-
tic action is slow. The disease occurs |
very suddenly in subjects not far adj
vauced in years; there are regular pc
RODS in the course of the twenty-fOur |
hours, from day to day, when the pa
tient will be worse. In the human SUBJ
iect night is the period when the pains
and fever are greatest; and in four
footed subjects, confined in ill-ventilatcd
stables the same is noticeable. In many
cases the disease leave the subject very
suddenly or migrates to other tissues.
The disease has been known to gravi-
tate to the feet; it is then called acute
aminatis-anOther name in the major
ity of cases for founder in its acut stage.
The diagnostic symptoms, when the
heart becomes affected, are palpitation,
difficult breathing and great oppression.
The SYMPHONIC are to be met by saline
medicines and counter irritants-Phil-
adeiphia Record. -