ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 289 



less intensify for years. The cliickcn disease may be mentioned in the same 

 category, and, doubtless, is referable to the same climatic conditions. How of- 

 ten have we heard of four or five horses dying within a few days in the same 

 stable, and suspicions been excited that the water had been poisoned or some 

 foul play been practiced. Sometimes two or three horses, where there was no 

 imputation of overdriving or abuse, have died in a night — especially where the 

 horses have been kept in basement stalls, and where the access of pure air was 

 defective. These horses were, in truth, the victims of malarious infection, but 

 unfortunately this truth was not recognized. 



The Rinder-pest of Germany is another illustration of a similar infection, 

 only its intensity was felt by the horned cattle. If, then, the horse disease ap- 

 pear as a general epidemic in California, some cautious reserve may well be ex- 

 ercised before the disease is pronounced to be an importation from the Eastern 

 States, for it is certain that it may exist from local climatic cause, and not nec- 

 essarily be the result of propagation by contagion or by the diffusion of an 

 onward march from State to State. 



THE CtTRE. 



The sheet-anchor of treatment is Quinine. To it all other remedies are only 

 auxiliaries. This should be at once administered without waiting for other pre- 

 liminary treatment. The best moment to give the Sulph. Quinine, if the pre- 

 scriber is capable to judge, is in the cold stage of the fever, or when it is at its 

 lowest temperature, as indicated by the coldness of the legs and ears. Fifteen 

 to thirty grains at the dose, every three hours — continued for twenty-four or 

 forty -eight hours — according to the severity of the attack. During this time a 

 mild purgative of Jalap, Guaiac and Glauber salt may be of service. Let the 

 animal be well blanketed to promote perspiration, and fed with warm mash. 



The catarrh will be relieved by a local application of infusion of Golden 

 Seal (Hydratus) in which a few drops of Carbolic Acid, dissolved in a tea- 

 spoonful of spirit of wine or whisky, have been mixed. This remedy should be 

 injected into the nostrils with a syringe having a long beak. In this way it 

 will not only bathe the nasal membrane, but will reach the throat. Some of it 

 will also be swallowed, which will serve a good purpose in cleansing the stomach. 

 In this mixture the quinine may be dissolved and be poured from a bottle down 

 the horse's throat, serving thereby at the same time, the purpose of a throat 

 wash. A wine-glass full of the infusion of Golden Seal will suffice for each 

 nostril. If the fever is high the shoes should be taken off, and warm poultices 

 of flax-seed meal be applied to the feet and fetlocks. 



THE HYGIENE OF THE STABLE ' 



Is a subject of the utmost importance. A bad and dirty stable is of itself 

 enough to engender the disease. So that any false economy in this respect may 

 lead to very expensive results. 



All sick horses should be forthwith removed from basement stalls. Free 

 ventilation to free the stable from ammoniacal and urinary odors is indispensa- 

 ble. Probably the best disinfectant, because not poisonous and very efficient, 



