CHAPTER Xm. 

 GENERAL DISEASES OF THE BLOOD. 



}. iNFLtJENZA— EPIZOOTT— "PINK EYE." II. PURPURA HEMORRHAGICA.-^ III. 



RHEUMATISM. IV. ABSCESSES. V. ERYSIPELAS. 



I. Influenza— Epizooty— "Pink Eye." 



Influenza is the name given to a blood disease in horses that is peculiar iu 

 many ways. It is known as the Upizooty and "Pink Eye." It is a 

 blood disease, in that it is caused by the introduction into the system of 

 a poison that has its origin in the atmocphere, and cannot be isolated ; it 

 is supposed to be of a malarious nature due to influences very extended in 

 character. 



The greac epizooty of 1872 extended over the most of Europe and the 

 whole of North America. It spread from East to West, moving slowly, 

 attacking all animals of the equine race, and lasting from one to three 

 weeks in each locality. It proved fatal to a great many horses ; it laid 

 all horses up for a few days at least, so that in all large cities the streets 

 were clear of horses for about a week. It left a great many horses with 

 chronic cough and debilitated systems from which they never recovered, 

 80 that they were left in a condition that invited diseases of all kinds, 

 many of which proved fatal, coming as they did in fall and winter. 



The "Pink Eye" of the year 1881, was less general in its at- 

 tack, and milder in its character in some respects, but more severe in 

 others. It was more severe in the latitudes including the cities of New 

 York, St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, etc. It was very mild both north 

 and south of the above mentioned latitudes. It was fatal in many cases, 

 but mostly either from want of care or improper treatment. 



It was called "Pink Eye" from the redness of the eyes, which was a 

 prominent symptom in all cases. It was of a complicated nature, there 

 being catarrh of the mucous membranes, both of the respiratory and ali- 

 mentary tracts ; tyi^hoid fever ; acute rheumatism ; and, in some cases, 

 inflammation of the lungs, bowels and brain ; and occasionally tetanus. 



How to know it. — The first symptom noticed will be languor ; dull- 

 ness in harness ; weakness; sweating easily; and, in very many cases, 

 actual staggering from weakness and nervous prostration in the course of 

 ten hours after being first taken. The horse hangs his head ; the ear* 



441 



