550 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



observed will not easily be forgotten. If the parasite has not been 

 discovered in the blood for some days, the s3anpto]ns mentioned above 

 may be the onlj'^ ones noticed, and, as a rule, when treated with febri- 

 fuges, the horse quickly improves in health and the appetite x^eturns. 

 This condition does not last for more than a few days, when the 

 animal is again observed to present a dull and dejected appearance, 

 and on examination well-marked symptoms are found ; the skin is 

 hot, the temperature more or less elevated — 101.7° to 104° F,; the 

 pulse full and frequent — 56 to 64 beats per minute ; the Adsible mu- 

 cous membranes may appear clean, but the conjunctival membranes, 

 especially those covering the membrana nictitans, are usually the seat 

 of dark-red patches of ecchymosis, varying in size in different an- 

 imals. There is more or less thirst and slight loss of appetite; the 

 animal eats its grain and green grass, but leaves all or a portion of 

 the hay with which it has been supplied. At the same time there 

 are slight catarrhal symptoms present, including lachrymation and a 

 little mucous discharge from the nostrils. Occasionally at this period 

 of the disease the submaxillary glands may be found enlarged and 

 perhaj^s somewhat tender on manipulation. One symptom is mark- 

 edly absent, namely, the presence of rigors or the objective sign of 

 chilliness. In addition, it will be noted that there is some swelling and 

 edema of the legs, generally between the fetlock and the hock, which 

 pits but is not painful on pressure, and in case of horses there may 

 be present also at this stage of the disease some swelling of the sheath. 

 "When the fever and concomitant symptoms have declared themselves 

 for a short period, one thing becomes especially noticeable in every 

 animal attacked, namely, the rapidity with which it loses flesh. If 

 the blood has been examined microscopically during the second period 

 of fever, at first a few parasites will have been observed in it, which 

 day by day increase in number and reach a maximum, where they 

 remain for a varying period, or at once suddenly or gi^adually disap- 

 pear during the i^eriod of apyrexia. After the fever and the accom- 

 panying sj'mptoms have for the second time been present for some 

 days — the period varying from one to six — the animal is found to 

 have lost the dull, dejected appearance and to look l^right. The tem- 

 perature has fallen and, in some cases, has attained normal or even 

 subnormal limits. The visible mucous membranes are clean, and the 

 conjunctival petechiae begin to fade; the pulse, however, will be found 

 to be weak and thready in character, but the appetite excellent, and, 

 in fact, if it were not for the loss of flesh and slight edema of the 

 legs, there would be little to show that the animal was sick. But 

 vmfortunately this condition does not continue for any length of time, 

 for again the temperature is elevated; in the course of a few hours 

 the thermometer registers a still higher degree, the animal is dull and 

 dejected, and by the following day the visible mucous membranes 



