292 Mr. A. Kdington. South A f rim n //,//>, -*/,/ 



"Smith African Horse-sickness: its Pathology and Mrtho.N f 

 Protective Inoculation." By ALKXAM-II: KI>IN<;T<>N, M.l',.. 

 < ..M.. K.li'.S.K., Director of the Colonial Bacteriological Insti- 

 tute, Cape Colony. < 'uniiiiunicated by Sir DAVID (In.i., K.I; S. 

 Received August '20, 1 900. 



This disease, so far as is known, is peculiar to South Africa. 



While affecting the Transvaal and Rhodesia every year beginning 

 about the end of October and continuing until the following May, or 

 even later it only affects the Cape Colony and Natal in an epizootic 

 form in certain years, although sporadic cases occur annually in certain 

 localities. 



.Iniiimh .tffi'rii'il. It affects horses, asses, mules, and it has been 

 asserted although I have never seen such cases that quaggas have 

 also been killed by it. 



A disease which occurs to a limited extent among cattle, called by 

 the natives Imapunga, and one which exists as a widespread plague 

 among high-bred sheep and goats in the Eastern Province of Cape 

 Colony, are each closely related in their pathology with this malady. 



.In < //'/<> W. The most dangerous areas are those which are 

 relatively low-lying independent of the absolute altitude of the 

 district. 



1'iriod of Infection. It has been commonly observed that where 

 animals during a season of sickness are not permitted to graze after 

 sunset and before the sun has dried up the dew from the herbage, they 

 do not so commonly become affected as where such a routine is not 

 carried out. 



Horses which are stabled during the night are, as a rule, safe, but 

 during last year 60 per cent, of the stabled horses in Eshowe, ZuJuland, 

 died of this sickness. Veterinary Lieutenant Coley, A.V.D., who kindly 

 made the observations for me, stated that these horses were mainly 

 fed on Guinea or Ubuiba grass mixed with forage or Indian corn. 

 This grass was usually cut in the evenings and made into bundles till 

 next day. Those who took particular care to have the grass 

 thoroughly dried in the sun before using it did not lose their horses, 

 while those neglecting this precaution lost heavily. 



The disease is only directly contagious ; for while inoculated horses 

 have died in my stables among clean animals, I have never found, 

 luring observations extending over seven years, a single case of infec- 

 tion from such a source. 



The annual mortality in Rhodesia and the low-lying parts of the 

 Transvaal amounts to over 90 per cent. 



Animals which have recovered from the sickness are termed 

 " salted," and are from six to ten times increased in market value. 



