88 DOMESTIC ANIMAXS. 



of weakness may hang about him for a considerable time. Few horses, 

 possibly none, escape its attack ; bat the disease having passed over, the 

 animal is free from it for the remainder of his life. Catarrh may pre- 

 cede, or may predispose to, the attack, and, undoubtedly, the state of 

 the atmosphere has much to do w^ith it, for both its prevalence and its 

 severity are connected with certain seasons of the year and changes of 

 the weather. There is no preventive for the disease, nor is there any 

 thing contagious about it. Many strange stories are told with regard 

 to tiiis; but the explanation of the matter is, that when several horses 

 in the same form, or in the same neighborhood, have had strangles at 

 the same time, they have been exposed to the same powerful but un- 

 known exciting cause. 



As soon as the tumor under the jaw is decidedly apparent, the part 

 sliould be actively blistered. From the thickness of skin, poultices, 

 fomentations, etc., are of little avail. The blister will also abate the 

 internal inflammation and soreness of the throat, and thus lessen the 

 cough and wheezing. 



As soon as the swelling is soft on its summit, and evidently contains 

 matter, it should be freely and deeply lanced. It is a bad, although 

 frequent practice, to suffer the tumor to burst naturally, for a ragged 

 ulcer is formed, very slow to heal and difficult of treatment. If the 

 incision is deep and large enough, no second collection of matter will 

 be formed : and that which is already there may be allowed to run out 

 slowly, all pressure with the fingers being avoided. The part should 

 be kept clean, and a little friar's balsam injected daily into the wound. 



The remainder of the treatment will depend on the symptoms. If 

 there is much fever, and evident affection of the chest, and which 

 should carefully be distinguished from the oppression and choking 

 occasioned by the pressure of the tumor, it will be proper to bleed. In 

 the majority of cases, however, bleeding will not only be unnecessary, 

 but injurious. It will delay the suppuration of the tumor, and increase 

 the subsequent debility. A few cooling medicines, as nitre, emetic 

 tartar, and perhaps digitalis, may be given, as the case requires. The 

 appetite, or rather the abihty to eat, will return with the opening of the 

 abscess. Bran-mashes, or fresh-cut grass or tares, should be liberally 

 supplied, which will not only afford sufficient nourishment to recruit 

 the strength of the animal, but keep the bowels gent.y open. If the 

 weakness is not great, no further medicine will be wanted, except a dose 

 of mild physic in order to prevent the swellings or eruptions which 

 sometimes succeed to strangles. In cases of debility, a small quantity of 

 tonic medicine, as chamomile, gentian, or ginger, may be administered. 



Poll-Evil. — From the horse rubbing and sometimes striking his poll 

 against the lower end of the manger, or hanging back in the stall and 

 bruising the part with the halter — or from the frequent and painful 

 stretching of the ligaments and muscles by unnecessaiT tight reining, 

 and, occasionally, from a vio'ent blow on the poll, inflammation ensues, 

 ani] a swelling appears, hot, tender, and painful. It used to be a disease 

 of frequent occurrence, but it is now, fi'om better treatment of the ani- 

 mal, of comparatively rare occurrence. 



It has been stated that the ligament of the neck passes over the atlas, 



