MALARIAL FEVER IN HORSES. 475 



we found the characteristic blood spots on the mucous membrane of the 

 eye. These blood spots were more pronounced in some cases than in 

 others, due to the severity of the attack. Some blood counts were made 

 from the diseased animals. The red corpuscles ran as low as 1,800,000 

 to 2,200,000, while the normal for a healthy animal is about 7,500,000 

 red corpuscles, which explains why the affected animals emaciate and 

 become pale so very rapidly. The post mortem examination also showed 

 a large number of worms known as the tetracanthum. This worm was 

 found more abundant in horses that showed slight symptoms or were in 

 the early stages of the disease, and was not found so abundant in the 

 chronic cases. It was always found in the colon and the intestines. In 

 none of the specimens that were examined were we able to find this worm 

 in the circulation. It is of importance to note that, as stated, in ad- 

 vanced, long-standing chronic cases, when a post mortem is held, few if 

 any of these parasites are found. This may possibly be explained by 

 the severe emaciation that the animal has undergone, the blood being 

 in such poor condition that possibly it had no nutritive value, thus 

 causing the parasites to leave their hosts. In one post mortem examin- 

 ation where, according to the owner's statement, the horse had been 

 affected twenty-one days, we could not find any of these worms. The 

 organs in the abdominal cavity were practically normal except the kid- 

 neys, which were very much enlarged, and showed plainly chronic lesions 

 of nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys.) 



Laboratory Experiments. — Cultures w^ere made from the contents of 

 the spleen, blood, kidneys, and urine. These cultures were inoculated 

 into smaller animals, but without any results, 



VI. Treatment. 



The treatment of this disease has not been very satisfactory, which is 

 largely due to the fact that we have no definite knowledge as to the true 

 cause of the disease. The treatment consisted in using gasoline, creolin 

 and creosote to cleanse out the stomach of the intestinal parasites. In 

 addition to this, fever remedies were used, such as quinine, nux vomica, 

 digitalis, and the like, followed up with a general tonic, such as Fowler's 

 solution, but with no universal success. 



At this time the Station is giving attention to the method by which 

 these animals become infected. Possibly it may be in the same way 

 that sheep and cattle become infected with the small parasite known as 

 the stomach worm. Embryos of worms have been found on blades of 

 grass and are taken up by stock when grazing. As soon as the definite 

 cause of infection has been learned, then possibly a cure may be forth- 

 coming. 



