48 THE DISEASES OP THE ttOftsE. 



limbs, from which an unhealthy amber or purple colored 

 discharge issues. The sheath, abdomen, breast, lips, nos- 

 trils, eyelids, &c, swell. 



The disease is usually caused by blood contamination, 

 but it may arise from defective drainage, ventilation, or 

 bad food. 



Remedy. — Potassium chlorate, 3 or 4 drams, 2 or 3 

 times daily; then half doses; usually given in drinking 

 water. Iron salts, sulphate, perchloride ; quinine, oil of 

 turpentine. Good hygienic conditions. Concentrated, 

 nutritive diet; oatmeal gruel, milk, eggs, alcoholic stim- 

 ulants. Swellings, when limited and about head, bathed 

 with cold water and refrigerants ; when about throat, body, 

 and legs, hot fomentations preferable, especially in cold 

 weather. Avoid scarification unless swellings are large 

 and causing inconvenience. Scrupulous cleanliness and 

 antiseptic dressings while skin is ulcerating or sloughing. 

 Open windpipe if necessary. (For doses, see pages 13 

 to 29.) 



BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD FEVER (CEREBRO- 

 SPINAL FEVER OR MENINGITIS), 



Is a specific horse disease, characterized by congestion 

 and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord and their 

 nerve centers, causing paralysis, dizziness, and sudden 

 falling to the ground. The neck and dorsal (back) mus- 

 cles contract so violently as to sometimes draw the head 

 back ; the eyes are wild and injected, the head tossed 

 about, &c. The disease is probably caused by a specific 

 poison. It is often enzootic or epizootic, and always dan- 

 gerous. In veterinary medicine ' enzootic ' and ' epizootic ' 

 correspond to 'endemic' and 'epidemic' in human med- 

 icine. Enzootic diseases are local, and are confined to as 

 well as peculiar to (if not the product of) certain districts. 

 Epizootics are general, and may spread from country to 

 country, like the terrible influenza epizootic of 1872-73. 



