40 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



the eyes than in others. If the animal is bled at this period the 

 blood is found more coagulable than normal, but at a later period it 

 becomes of a dark color and less coagulable. There is great diminu- 

 tion or total loss of appetite with an excessive thirst, but in many 

 cases in cold-blooded horses the animal may retain a certain amount 

 of appetite, eating slowly at its hay, oats, or other feed. There is 

 some irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract as 

 shown by discharge of mucus from the nose, and by cough. Preg- 

 nant mares are apt to abort. 



Terminations. The termination of simple influenza may be 

 death by extreme fever, with failure of the heart's action ; from exces- 

 sive coma, due generally to a rapid congestion of the brain ; to the 

 poisonous effects of the debris of the disintegrated blood corpuscles 

 and the toxin of the disease ; to an asphyxia, following congestion of 

 the lungs ; or the disease terminates by subsidence of the fever, return 

 of the appetite and nutritive functions of the organs, and rapid con- 

 valescence ; or, in an unfortunately large number of cases, the course 

 of the disease is complicated by local inflammatory troubles, whose 

 gravity is greater in influenza than it is when they occur as sporadic 

 diseases. 



Complications. The complications are congestions, followed by 

 inflammatory phenomena in the various organs of the body, but 

 they are most commonly located in the intestines, lungs, brain, or 

 vascular lamina? of the feet. Atmospheric influence or other sur- 

 rounding influences of unknown quality seem to be an important fac- 

 tor in the determination of the local lesions. 



Complication of the Intestines. When any cause acts as an 

 irritant to the intestinal tract during the course of this specific fever 

 it may produce inflammation of the organs belonging to it. This 

 cause may be constipation, which can find relief only in a congestion 

 which offers to increase the function of the glands and relieve the 

 inertia caused by a temporary cessation of activity ; or irritant medi- 

 cines, especially any increased use of antimony, turpentine, or the 

 more active remedies; the taking of indigestible food, or of food in 

 too great quantities, or food altered in any way by fungus or other 

 injurious alterations ; the swallowing of too cold water ; or any other 

 irritant may cause congestion. This complication is ushered in by 

 colics. The animal paws with the fore feet and evinces a great sensi- 

 bility of the belly ; it looks with the head from side to side, and may 

 lie down and get up, not with violence, but with care for itself, per- 

 fectly protecting the surface of the belly from any violence. At first 

 we find a decided constipation; the droppings if passed are small 

 and hard, coated with a viscous varnish or even with false mem- 

 branes. In from thirty-six to forty hours the constipation is followed 

 by diarrhea. The animal becomes rapidly exhausted and unstable, 

 staggers on movement, losing the little appetite which may have re- 

 mained, and has fever. The pulse becomes softer and weaker, the 

 respiration becomes gradually more rapid, the temperature is about 

 1 to 1.5 F. higher. If a fatal result is not produced by the extensive 



