DISEASES OF HORSES 47 



lesions of asphyxia; externally we find ulcers, abscesses, and gan- 

 grenous spots and the deep ulcers resulting from the latter. The 

 lymphatic cords and glands are found with all the lesions of lymph- 

 angitis. Again are found the traces of excessive emaciation, or the 

 lesions of septicemia. Except from the complications the blood is not 

 altered in anasarca. 



Diagnosis. The diagnosis of anasarca must principally be made> 

 from farcy or glanders. In anasarca the swelling is nonsensitive, 

 while sensitive in the acute swelling of farcy. The nodes of farcy 

 are distinct and hard and never circumscribed, as in the other dis- 

 ease. The eruption of glanders on the mucous membranes is nodular, 

 hard, and pelletlike. The redness disappears on pressure. In case of 

 excessive swelling of the head in anasarca, there may occur an exten- 

 sive serofibrinous exudation from the mucous membranes of the nose, 

 poured out as a semifluid mass or as a cast of the nasal fossae, never 

 having the appearance or typical oily character which it has in glan- 

 ders. The inflammation of the lymphatic cords and glands in an- 

 asarca does not produce the hard, indurated character which is found 

 in farcy. 



Prognosis. While anasarca is not an excessively fatal disease, 

 the prognosis must always be guarded. The majority of cases run a 

 simple course and terminate favorably at the end of eight or ten days, 

 or possibly, after one or two relapses, requiring several weeks for com- 

 plete recovery. Effusion into the head renders the prognosis much 

 more grave from the possible danger of mechanical asphyxia. Threat- 

 ened mechanical asphyxia is especially dangerous on account of the 

 risk of blood poisoning after an operation of tracheotomy. Edema of 

 the viscera is a most serious complication. The prognosis is based on 

 the complications, their extent, and their individual gravity, existing, 

 as they do here, in an already debilitated subject. 



Treatment. The treatment of anasarca may be as variable as 

 are the lesions. The indications are at once shown by the alterations 

 and mechanism of the disease, which we have just studied. Hygiene 

 comes into play as the most important factor. Oats, oat and hay tea, 

 milk, eggs anything which the stomach or rectum can be coaxed 

 to take care of must be employed to give the nutriment, which is 

 the only thing that will permanently strengthen the tissues, and they 

 must be strengthened in order to keep the capillaries at their proper 

 caliber. 



Laxatives; diaphoretics, and diuretics must be used to stimulate 

 the emunctories, so that they shall carry off the large amount of the 

 products of decomposition which result from the stagnated effusions 

 of anasarca. Of these the sulphate of soda in small repeated doses, 

 and the nitrate of potash and bicarbonate of soda in small quantity, 

 and the chlorate of potash in single large doses will be found useful. 

 Stimulants and astringents are directly indicated. Spirits of turpen- 

 tine serves the double purpose of a cardiac stimulant and a powerful, 

 warm diuretic, for the kidneys in this disease will stand a wonderful 

 amount of work. Camphor can be used with advantage. Coffee and 

 tea are two of the diffusible stimulants which are too much neglected 



