40 Rheumatism 



SUFFOCATION 



Suffocation in distemper may call for an operation called Tracheo- 

 tomy. This consists in cutting 2 to 3 inches of the skin parallel with the 

 wind pipe and directly in front of it to avoid arteries. Then a portion of 

 the cartlidge is split parrallel with the first incision and none of the 

 joints of the trachea must be cut for they are hard to heal. Hold the 

 opening open by hooks tied by a string over the neck. This will en- 

 able the horse to breathe. Wash the wound daily with a 3 per cent 

 carbolic acid or dip solution. This washing should be done with a half 

 saturated rag so the carbolic acid or dip water that is, "4.1/2 teaspoonful of 

 the drug to 1 pint of the water" does not get in the trachea. If the horse 

 has a tendency to constipate l/^ to 1 quart of raw oil may be given or 

 daily dose of 4 to 6 tablespoonfuls of salts. Salts tend to 'reduce the 

 fever but are more irritating. Give the salts in 1 quart of water. 



If the fever becomes severe nothing is better to reduce it than the 

 following formula: 



Aconite 1 dram (1 teaspoonful) 

 Belladonna 2 drams (2 teaspoonsful) 

 Water 2 ounces (4 tablespoonsful). 



Give 3 to 5 teaspoonsful of the above formula every 2 hours or till 

 the fever is reduced or 4 or 5 doses are given. I do not favor aconite 

 alone for it depresses the heart action. 



RHEUMATISM 



Inflamation of the Muscles and Joints 



Rheumatism is probably more frequent in the horse than any of the 

 larger domestic animals. The disease may assume either an acute or a 

 chronic form. In the acute form the pains may shift from joint to joint. 

 It is not always possible to tell whether the disease is one of the muscles 

 or located in the joints. When the joints are effected it is something 

 called articular rheumatism. The muscles of the hips, shoulders and 

 loins are the ones most frequently effected. Animals that have had the 

 disease are more likely to be attacked again. Generalized rheumatism 

 often ends in death. Animals that recover are often stiff. 



