The National tribune., 1893-11-16
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Soma Practical Suggestions fOr Our
Agricultural Readers

Lsmsness signifies any irrsgulsrity or de-
rangement of the functions Of loeomOtiOu. ire
speciiye of the eause which produced is or she
degree Of its manifestation, says Lew Ludlow.
However slightly or severely it may Be sx-
hibited, it exists. The closest observation may
Re demanded for its detection and it may need
the most thorouzhy-trained powers Of discera-
ment to identify and locate IL. a. in cases
where the animal is said to be tender, faintinE
or to go sore. The horse may be so far affected
as TO absolutely refuse to use an injured LEG.
and IN compulsory motion keep it raised froa
the ground and prefer to travel on shres legs.
rather than to bear any part Of his weight upon
the afflicted member
Simple lameness and lamepess on three legs
are very easy Of detection, but mere tenderness
or soreness may be very difficult to identify,
and at times very serious results have followed
from the 'obscurity which has snveloped the
early stages Of the maIsdy. In the absence
OF he treatment that an early correct diagnosis
would have indicated serious and insidiOus
silment. taking ad vantage Of the lapse of tine,
may root itself too deeply into the animal. anf
become disabling chronic case, and possibly one
which is incurable and fatal. Hence the ina
policy Of dsprecating early symptoms because
they are not accompanied By distinct and pre-
nounced characteristics
The possibility Of an ambush can never ks
safely ignored. An extra caution costa nothing.
even If wasted. Usually the discovery that =
horse IL becoming lame Is comparatively a.
easy matter to g careful observer. Such per.
son viii readily note the changes of move
ment which win have taken place in the ani-
NAL he has bean accustomed to drive or ride.
unless they ara indeed slight and limited -
the last degree; bat what is not always easy n
the detection, after discovering the fact Of a
existing irregulsrity. of the locality Of its
point OF origin. and whether its seat Be D.
the near or OF leg, or in the fore or bind part
OF the body. The error, which is often eou-
mitted, OF prouonncinK the leg upon which tha
animal travels soundly as the seat of ths lame
nesss ia the result of misinterpretation of the
physiology of locomotion in the crippled AMI
NAL
Much depends upon the gait with which the
animal moves while under examination. It u
while the animal is trottiDg that the In vestiza-
tion is made with the best chances Of an intsl-
ligent decision, and it is while moving with
that gait therefore. that the points should b
looked for which muss form the elements Of
the diagnosis.
The mode Of action Of the leg, which is TIE
seat of lameness, viii vary greatly from that
which 1t exhibited when in healthy condition,
and the sound leg will also offer importaat
notifications in three psrtieuIars-that of rssA
ing on the ground. that Of its elevation snd
forward motion. and that of striking ths
ground again when the full action of stepping
is accomplished. Inability 10 the lame leg e
sustain weight will imply excessive exsrtion
by the sound one, and lack OF facility or dis
position to rest the lame member on the ground
will necessitate a longer continuance of that
action on the sound side. t
Changes in the act of eleyating the leg. or ef
carrying it forward. in both will present, how
ever, entirely opposite conditions between the
TWO. The lame member will be elevated
rapidly, moved carefully forward, and returned
to the ground with caution and hesitaney, aaA
the contact with the earth will be effected a
lightly as possible; while the sound leg win
rest longer on tho ground, move boldly anA
rapidly forward, and strike the ground promptly
and forcbly.
lameness is seated. the animal should bs IA
blanketed and held by plain halter in the
hand Of a man who knows how to manage hfs
PAGES, and preference should be given to hard
road for trial The horse should be examined
from various positioDs-from before, frsm BE-
hind, and from each side. Watching him as he
approaches, As he recedss, and as he passes By,
the observer should carefully study that import
ant sction-the dropping of the body upon one
extremity or the other and this can readily b
detected by attending closely TO the motions Of
the head and of the hip. The bead drops On
the same side on which the mass of the body
will fall, dropping toward the right when the
lameness il in the left fore leg and the htD
dropping in posterior lameness also on sAs
sound leg, the reversal Of the conditions pre-
ducing reverse effects.
That horse is lame in given leg may Be
easily determined; but when 1t becomes necss-
sary to pronounce IS to what part, what regioa,
what structure are affected, ths easy part Of
the task is over, except. of course, in cases in
which the features are too distinctly evident
to admit Of error. By carefully noting the
manner in which lame leg is performing iss
functions, and closely scrutinizing the motions
of the whole extremity, and especially of the
various joints which enter into its structure;
by minutely examining every part Of the r
limb; by observing the outlines; by testing ths
change, If any, in temperature, and the state Of
the sensibility-sll these may guide person -
correct loealization of the seat Of troubls.
But he must carefully refrain from the adoptioa
of hasty conclusion, and. above all, not fall
to make the foot (of all the organs of the horse
the most liable to injury and lssion) the sub
ject of the most thorough and minute exAm-
ination. The greater liability of the foot than
any other part of the extremitiss to injury
from casualties. natural to its situation and
use, should always suggest the beginning of aa
obscure case of lsmeness. Indeed. the lame
ness may have an apparent location elsewhere
when that is the true seat Of trouble.
As in human pathological experiences. there
are instances when inscrutable diseases viii
deliver their fatal message while leaving ne
mark and making no sign BY which they may
bs identified and classified, so it will happez
that in the humber animals the onset and
ailment will at times battle the
skill. and leave our burden-bear.
ing servants to succumb to the inevitable, and
Ia