134 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



'* that it was very improbable that any connection existed between 

 "the outbreak and the water supply." 



Climatic Conditions last Year. — The monsoon last year was an 

 unusually light one, the aggregate rainfall being 59 inches against 

 an average of 75 inches. In September scarcely any rain fell, the 

 total fall registered that month amounting to 3h inches only. 

 There was no rain in October, and the temperature which through- 

 out the month was unusually high, touched a maximum of 93° in 

 the shade. Early in October portions of the city were visited 

 with a mosquito plague. The innumerable quantity of these insects 

 in the air indicated something unusual in the climatic conditions, 

 or in the condition of the marshes which skirt Bombay. The 

 weather commenced to get cooler in November, and in the middle of 

 December cold N.-E. and N.-W. winds set in and have since 

 continued, the former blowing during the night and the latter 

 during the day. 



Breed of the Horses attacked. —The Company had last October a 

 stud of 739 horses ; of these 570 were Australians, and 169 hordes 

 of Asiatic breeds. Of the 14 horses attacked with "surra" in 

 November and December, 13 were Australians, and 1 was a Persian. 

 The majority were young horses, well bred, and in excellent 

 condition. 



The Symptoms and Course of the Disease. — As a rule the pre- 

 sence of the disease was first detected by the horse going off 

 feed, and looking dejected and weak. An eruption of Urticaria 

 was found on the skin in a few cases. On examining the animal 

 the pulse was found high, generally 50° to 60°, the temperature 

 102° to 104°, and the lungs, usually, and heart sometimes, 

 affected. If a gelding there was often some slight swelling 

 of the sheath. The membrane was invariably a pale yellowish 

 grey colour, and the anus in some cases extremely relaxed. In 

 a few cases, but not in all, a few blood spots were observable on 

 the membrane of the eye. As a rule when treated with fever 

 medicines and antiseptics, the horse quickly improved, the 

 temperature falling to 100°, to 101°, and the appetite returning. 

 The swelling of the sheath did not, however, in any case entirely 

 subside, and the pulse continued high. The horse would remain 

 in this improved condition for a few days, eating well and 

 looking well. A relapse would then set in, the temperature again 

 rising to 106°, to 104°, or occasionally higher, dropsical swell- 



