814 Muscular Klieuinatism, Race-course Disease of Horses. 



system, and tlio same ai)})lies to otlier nervous diseases. — Well 

 defined eases of rachitis and osteomalacia may easily be dis- 

 tinguished, but where the disease of the bone is not pronounced 

 the differential diagnosis is sometimes a matter of great diffi- 

 culty. 



Treatment. Muscular rheumatism limited to a small re- 

 gion is treated most suitably with massage, for which different 

 stimulating materials (camphor, spirits of soap, mustard oil in 

 alcohol) or chloroform (e. g. spir. sapon., chloroform aa, or 

 spir. camph., spir. sapon. kalin. aa 100, ol. thereb. 20.) may 

 be employed; after massage warm or Priessnitz poultices may 

 be applied. 



The production of diaphoresis is also of good service, and 

 for this purpose animals should be wrapped up warmly, while 

 dogs may be placed in a steam or turkish bath ; subcutaneous in- 

 jections of pilocarpine (0.2-0.5 gm.) may be employed, especial- 

 ly in horses. 



In general muscular rheumatism salicylic acid and its 

 preparations (see page 809) do good service. Salol, salipyrin, 

 antipyrin, antifebrin and quinine (according to Caroni 20-40 

 gm. daily for a horse) are also effective. The combined em- 

 ployment of morphine and atropine in shoulder rheumatism of 

 the horse may produce at times dangerous complications (see 

 page 365). The disease of the eyes needs no special treatment. 



Literature. Albrecht, W. f. Tk., 1902, 170.— Hink, D. t. W., 1899, 5.— Hoff- 

 mann, T. Z., 1901, 424.— Magnin, Eec, 1906, 217.— Sehmid, W. f. Tk., 1901, 148.— 

 Schwendimann, Sehw. A., 1898, XL, 116.— Siedamgrotzky, S. B., 1874, 43; 1878, 41; 

 1887, 26.— Sigl, Monh., 1900, XI, 559.— Tatray, Vet., 1894, 209, 264.— Zschokke, 

 Schw. A. 1898, XL, 97. 



Race-course Disease of Horses. After excessive exertion, as for 

 instance on a long run, stepping high, and on bad, deep, or hilly ground, 

 after forced runs, in distance riding and on race-courses, perhaps also 

 after being throwai, a peculiar diseased condition appears in horses 

 which is commonly called race-course illness. It occurs mostly after 

 work, but occasionally it may be noticed during the exercise. 



The animals become feverish, exhibit great anxiety and seem to 

 experience pain. Breathing appears labored and copious sweating oc- 

 curs. The muscles of the thigh, back and neck are at first hard and 

 stiff to the touch, and twitching as well as quivering of the muscles 

 may be noticed ; besides there is often retention of urine and of feces. 

 After one or several days most of the above mentioned symptoms dis- 

 appear, the animals begin to move about, but great weakness, increased 

 irritability and timidity persist; the twitchings in different muscles 

 are noticed for a long time and are increased by external influences. 

 In the further course the stiffness of the muscles yields to a visible 

 relaxation, the gait of the animal l^ecoming remarkably languid and 

 tottering, the feet scarcely being able to support the body. But these 

 symptoms as well as the twitchings and the irritability disappear grad- 

 ually, so that the animals recover completely in 3 to 4 weeks, and often 

 earlier (Kirillow), but at times later (Willielm). 



