264 THE MALIGNANT EPIDEMIC. 



had reason to feel gratified at the result will, I think, appear from the fol- 

 lowing cases : 



"Case I. April 8. Every symptom of the prevailing epidemic: and consider- 

 ably aggravated on the 10th, when the horse laboured under much prostration 

 of strength, and staggered considerably in his gait. The following ball was 

 then ordered to be given him twice a day : R Hydrarg. chlorid. 3 i> farin. avenae 

 3 ss. terebinth, vulg. q. s. ut fiat bol. One to be given morning and night. He 

 soon began to improve ; and was returned to the stable on the 26th, convalescent. 

 A second patient of the same character was cured in eighteen days, and a third 

 in nineteen days." The author of this work had the pleasure of witnessing 

 these cases. 



Mr. Percivall adds, "Lest it should be said, after the perusal of these three 

 cases, that they do not appear to have been of a dangerous character, or to have 

 required anything out of the ordinary line of treatment, I beg to observe, that 

 at the periods at which I submitted them to the action of mercury, they so 

 much resembled three others that had preceded them, and the -disease had 

 proved fatal, that, under a continuance of treatment of any ordinary kind, 1 

 certainly should have entertained fears for their safety. 



" It must be remembered that they were cases in which blood-letting, except 

 at the commencement, was altogether forbidden ; and that at the critical period 

 when mercury was introduced they had taken an unfavourable turn, and that 

 nothing in the shape of remedy appeared available save internal medicine and 

 counter-irritation, and that the latter had not and did not show results betoken- 

 ing the welfare of the patients. Under these circumstances the mercury was 

 exhibited. That it entered the system, and must have had more or less influence 

 on the disease, appears evident from its effect on the gums. That it proved the 

 means of cure, I cannot, from so few cases, take upon myself to assert ; but I 

 would recommend it in similar cases to the notice of practitioners." 



THE MALIGNANT EPIDEMIC. 



Continental veterinarians describe a malignant variety or termination of this 

 disease, and the imperfect history of veterinary medicine in Britain is not with- 

 out its records of it. So lately as the year 1815, an epidemic of a malignant 

 character reigned among horses. Three out of five who were attacked died. 

 It reappeared in 1823, but was not so fatal. It was said that the horses that 

 died were ultimately farcied : the truth was, that swellings and ulcerations, with 

 fostid discharge, appeared in various parts, or almost all over them the natural 

 swellings of the complaint which has just been considered, but aggravated and ma- 

 lignant. Our recollection of the classic lore of our early years will furnish us 

 with instances of the same pest in distant times and countries. We have not 

 forgotten the vivid description of Apollo darting his fiery arrows among the 

 Greeks, and involving in one common destruction the human being, the mule, 

 the horse, the ox, and the dog. Lucretius, when describing the plague at 

 Athens, speaks of a malignant epidemic affecting almost every animal 



Nor longer birds at noon, nor beasts at night 

 Their native woods deserted ; with the pest 

 Remote they languished, and full frequent died : 

 But chief the dog his generous strength resigned. 



In 1714, a malignant epidemic was imported from the Continent, and in the 

 course of a few months destroyed 70,000 horses and cattle. It continued to 

 visit other countries, with but short intervals, for fifty years afterwards. Out 

 of evil, however, came good. The continental agriculturists were alarmed by 

 this destruction of their property. The different governments participated in 

 the terror, and veterinary schools were established, in which the anatomy and 



