THE "HERVIC" TREAT^^ENT. 151 



human family, and dependent probably upon unknown atmo- 

 spherical influences. The present epidemic originated in 

 Canada, under what peculiar circumstances we are unable to 

 state. It would seem to be a self-limited disease, running its 

 course in a period varying from ten to fourteen days, not 

 contagious, and not amenable to any particular plan of treat- 

 ment, either preventive or curative, beyond what would be 

 dictated by the simplest knowledge of the laws of health and 

 disease. Prone, however, without special known cause to 

 extend beyond the above limits, and to take on grave compli- 

 cations. Not necessarily a follower or forerunner of other 

 diseases, although such has often been the case in previous 

 recorded epidemics. 



Dr. Joseph Bates, of Worcester. I do not think I can add 

 anything to the testimony of the very able paper of Dr. Slade. 

 I have been examining the horse disease for the past five 

 weeks with a good deal of scrutiny. I have probably exam- 

 ined from five hundred to a thousand cases of diseased horses, 

 more for my own gratification, perhaps, than anything else, 

 although I have had sick animals. For forty years, up to 

 last. Thanksgiving day, I do not think there was ever a time 

 when I did not have a pair of horses to drive, but on that 

 occasion I was forced to come here by public conveyance. 

 So far as my observation has extended, the form of the dis- 

 ease, in Worcester, particularly, and here also, has been more 

 an inflamed condition of the lungs and throat. The usual 

 treatment which I have observed, as practised by one and an- 

 other, has been abominable. In many instances too much 

 has been done. Many poor animals have been treated as 

 though they were very sick, and many no doubt have died 

 from the treatment rather than the disease. For instance, 

 some of onr stage horses which were used from the time 

 their sickness commenced until the day they died, had for 

 treatment a swab dipped in tar run down their throats three 

 or four times a day, — a treatment which I should rather 

 infer the human family would not submit to under such cir- 

 cumstances ; but so far as my observation has extended with 

 regard to the character of the disease, it has been a form of 

 disease of the lungs ; a form of pneumonia. At one time, I 



