272 Veterinary Elements. 



Distemper of colts or strangles is a contagious disease 

 appearing in young horses at from two to five years; the 

 disease being due to the streptococcus of Schiitz. Horses 

 are seldom attacked with the disease more than once, 

 and owing to the consequences are more valuable, if 

 passed safely through the disease. The swelling of the 

 submaxillary gland beneath the lower jaw, the high 

 fever, loss of appetite, the discharge from the nostrils at 

 first thin and sticky, later becoming thick, whitish-yel- 

 low and creamy, together with the age of the patient 

 render the recognition of this disease quite easy; later 

 on the hot tender swelling below the jaw points and the 

 contents of the abscess are soon discharged, as soon as 

 this happens, the colt is at once relieved and begins to 

 recover, unless other diseases set in. Unfortunately 

 such troubles as inflammation of the larynx, of the 

 lungs, nasal gleet or pyaemia (abscess formation through- 

 out the body) may result, in such cases the veterinar- 

 ian is essential ; so severe are the symptoms occasionally 

 that the surgeon may have to insert a tube in the wind 

 pipe to avoid suffocation of the animal. The ordinary 

 form runs its course inside of three weeks; if prolonged 

 beyond that time or the animal steadily refuses to eat, 

 skilled assistance should be called. The treatment is 

 mainly hygienic and calls for good nursing. Eegulate 

 the bowels with the food, bathe the swelling beneath 

 the jaw with hot water or apply a blister, which when it 

 has become soft should be opened and the pus drained 

 out; if breathing is painful steam the head (let the 

 horse inhale the steam) with hot water to which turpen- 

 tine or creolin has been added. 



