OF FARRIERY 



I8i 



MALIGNANT FEVER, 



^^ liat is called malignant or putrid fever, 

 in ilorses, is of rare occurrence ; and when it 

 does occur, it is generally a sequel of the dis- 

 temper as before described ; and this princi- 

 f)ally arising from the debilitated state the 

 animal is brought into by too much bleeding 

 for that disease; consequently, the system is 

 so much lowered from its natural standard, 

 that the disease may put on a putrid or typhus 

 form ; but this, as I said before, from the 

 powers of life being so much diminished by 

 too iicreat an abstraction of blood. Now, when 

 the disease, from improper treatment, is al- 

 lowed to arrive at this state, it then may in 

 some measure be said to become infectious, 

 but not in any other form of the disease, " ajs 

 distemper;'' for that disease arises solely from 

 the susceptibility of the system to take on dis- 

 ease from a peculiar state of the atmosphere. 



The French writers have had much to say of 

 malignant fever ; but our continental brethren 

 are so fond of splitting straws of almost every 

 disease, that every judicious reader will 

 admit the almost impracticability of discrimi- 

 nating between the variety of symptoms, by 

 which alone all the family of fevers are to be 

 ascertained. However, I shall give my own 

 practice in as plain and intelligible words as I 

 possibly can. 



The malignant epidemic of Horses always 

 commences by similar appearances to those 

 which characterize the mild epidemic. In 

 fact, the one is only a heightened degree of 

 tne other, pushed into a putrid typhe ; not by 

 the violence of its action, as supposed by some, 

 but by the reducing the arterial system below 

 its proper standard. And another proof of this ! 

 debility existing in the malignant kind, purging j 



IS Jisuatrv present, and a foetid s-tinking dis- 

 charge tiom the nose also ; the breath is like- 

 wise particularly disagreeable, the pulse quick 

 and small, attended with extreme weaknp.ss. 



In treating of the malignant epidemic, I 

 %carcely need say any thing about bleeding, 

 as 1 consider that the principal cause of the 

 disease ; and as soon as any appearances of 

 malignity present themselves, the most active 

 means must be employed to support the 

 strength, rouse the action of the system, and 

 destroy the putrid tendency ; for this end take 

 a nose-bag, and fill half-full with bran ; then 

 take the followins' — 



Chloride of lime 

 Water (warm) 



2 ounces. 

 I gallon. 



Moisten the bran with this liquid, and put the 

 bag on the Horse's head, that he may inhale 

 the chloride, which will remove the putrid 

 tendency ; be careful not to have the water- 

 too hot. Repeat three or four times a day, 

 for about half-an-hour each time. Give malt 

 mashes, and nutritious glisters, either of rice- 

 water or starch, and give tlie following ball • 



Take Cantharides - - 5 grains. 



Arsenic - - - 5 do. 



Sulphate of iron - 2 drams. 



Aloes, Cape - - 1 do. 



"Juniper berries 1 do. 



Let the.se be well incorporated together with 

 honey, and give every morning, or every 

 second morning. By this method of treat- 

 ment you may anticipate a successful termi- 

 nation of the disease. 



SY-MPTOMATIC FEVER. 



A symptomatic fever is a degree of iriHam- 

 mation and increas<id eirculatiou^ occasioned 



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