Influenza in Horses 



289 



lieved the animal greatly, and hastened a 

 favourable termination. Small doses of neu- 

 tral salts and stimulants, such as the spirit of 

 nitrous ether, Iiave sufficed for after medicinal 

 treatment. Much importance, however, 

 attaches to the supply of a spacious, dry, 

 well-littered box, abundant fresh air, avoid- 

 ance of draughts, comfortable clothing of the 

 body and flannel-bandaging the legs, and 

 to daily or more frequent wispings to pro- 

 mote cutaneous circulation. When such 

 measures are wanting the malady extends 

 over a longer period, and the patient suffers 

 proportionally in condition and otherwise. 



Since writing the above, we have noticed 

 in the newspapers assertions that this affec- 

 tion among the horses is closely allied to the 

 cattle plague, if indeed it is not the same 

 complaint modified by virtue of the species of 

 animal affected, and that both are alike due 

 to the same or an analogous atmospheric in- 

 fluence. If so, where has the cattle plague 

 slumbered for the last century, during which 

 influenza has so often invaded our country, 

 attacking men, horses, and dogs ? How does 

 it happen that for a hundred years the con- 

 stitution of British cattle has been insuscep- 

 tible to this atmospheric influence which 

 affected other animals, but has suddenly, in 

 1865, become so morbidly obnoxious to its 



attacks ? How is it that when no longer ago 

 than last year influenza was so extensively 

 prevalent, and so fatal to horses in many 

 parts of England, the cattle in those districts 

 maintained an entire immunity ? 



All such speculations are the veriest trifling 

 with a momentous subj ect. Influenza invades 

 countries independently of importations, 

 whereas the cattle plague, even in England, 

 can be clearly traced in connexion with the 

 transit of animals to different parts of the 

 country ; the first attacks large numbers of 

 animals at once, prostrating a whole stable 

 almost at the same moment ; while the second, 

 though due to animals newly introduced to a 

 byre, does not affect the herd simultaneously, 

 but leaves an interval — the period of incuba- 

 tion — between the appearance of the first and 

 second class of cases; the former spreads 

 over the ocean without visible mear.3 of com- 

 munication, falling at once on ships far from 

 land, and islands having had no intercourse 

 \vith the mainland ; while the latter has only 

 spread in the lines of commerce along with 

 certain contaminated cattle, and though at- 

 tacking both extremities of our country by 

 virtue of immediate or mediate communica- 

 tion, it has carefully respected and avoided 

 exclusively breeding districts, and such as have 

 imported no cattle from infected localities. 



