178 THE VETERINARY SCIENCE. 



Causes. — From horses being kept in a crowded stable that is 

 poorly ventilated and badly drained, or from eating- certain kinds 

 of grasses Uiat contain too much narcotic properties, such as are 

 grown in swamps. 



Symptoms. — They vary according to the parts most affected. 

 There will be trembling noticed in the different parts of the body; 

 the animal seems very dull and does not feed. As the disease 

 goes on, the animal will have a peculiar jerking in the limbs, and 

 then he will stagger, fall down and be unable to rise; the pulse 

 will be quick and weak; the bowels usually costive, and his water 

 is of a dark brown color. At first he generally lies in a dull, 

 stupid manner, breathing heav}-, and sweats freely if it is 

 very warm. Alter a time the dullness passes off and the 

 animal becomes delirious. If you give him water to drink, he will 

 try, but he cannot, as there is paralysis of the gullet. These 

 svmptoms gradually get worse until he dies. Wherever you see 

 one horse affected there is apt to be more affected, for the same 

 cause that brought it on him will bring it on the others. 



Treatment. — If noticed before the animal is too bad, there is 



hope of recovery; but if the animal is down and cannot swallow 



before he is noticed to be sick, the chances are against him. As 



soon as the disease is noticed, take one half-pail of blood from 



him and give the following drench: 



Bitter Aloes ^ drams. 



Sweet ISpirits of Nitre 1 ounce or 4 tablespoonfuls. 



Common Soda 1 tablespoon ful. 



Ginger 1 " 



Mix in a pint of luke warm water and give as a drench, then 



follow up with the following powder: 



Powdered Nux Vomica i pound. 



Nitrate of Potash or Saltpetre i " 



Hyposulphite of Soda i " 



Mix well together and give a teaspoonful on his tongue every 



three hours until he gets relief. Apply a mustard plaster and hot 



cloths along his back and cover the body warm. If the animal gets 



down turn him over from side to side three times a day, and be 



very careful while drenching for fear of choking him. Feed on 



soft food, with plenty of boiled flax seed in it, and give plenty of 



•cold water to drink. 



CHOREA. 



This is an affection of the nervous system, where the horse 



loses the power to back up. 



