DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 31 



relief, unless there is danger of suffocation. This disease may produce 

 water in the pericardial sack. It also his a tendency to affect the joints. 

 Your patient is perhaps convalescing, but you are called back, and per- 

 haps will find him suffering from severe pain in some of the joints, and 

 there may be rheumatic laminitis. 



Treatment. — Give plenty of pure air, as in all such diseases. I cannot 

 speak too strongly of this part of the treatment. Clothe the body 

 according to the season of the year ; well clothed in winter, the legs 

 bandaged and hand-rubbed. Keep the blood in circulation as well as 

 possible. Many people place the animal in a close stall or box, to keep 

 him warm, but this is not a good way to apply warmth. It would be 

 better to turn loose than to keep him in a tight box. Use rational 

 treatment, according as the comfort of your patient demands. Support 

 the system, and assist nature to throw off the disease, for influenza will 

 run its course in spite of medicine. Use potash and soda. Chlorate of 

 potash is to be preferred, in one drachm doses two or three times a day ; 

 but if there is great fever, use nitrate of potash, which is preferable. 

 Feed well on nutritive food ; give some roots, such as carrots, in winter. 

 Great care must be exercised in feeding the horse. If you give too much 

 food he will not be so apt to eat it as if but little was given at a time ; 

 give small amounts of any kind of food ; feed from the hand, etc. Use 

 stimulants ; liquor acetate of ammonia, two ounces ; sweet spirits of 

 nitre, one ounce, two or three times a day ; or give whisky, ale, beer, 

 etc. ; but I give whisky in influenza. In severe cases you may have to 

 restrict the diet, but not often The secretions are impaired, and you 

 will find benefit by getting the bowels to act by giving injections and in 

 very rare cases you may give a laxative ; oil is preferred to aloes, but 

 aloes may be given, two or three drachms ; but be very careful in giving 

 it in influenza, as it is likely to set up superpurgation. Give whisky and 

 milk, or beef tea has been used by some of our graduates. Do not 

 attempt to force food, for it only acts as an irritant. It is possible to 

 have a case where a sedative is necessary, but I have seen but few such 

 cases, and have seen some where it did great harm. The animal may 

 get too much aconite, and show signs of poisoning, in which case stimu- 

 lants would be of great use. Belladonna, calomel, opium and digitalis 

 have been recommended, but I think the most of them have been in- 

 jurious. You may use digitalis, if the breathing is difficult. You will 

 find benefit from keeping up fermentations, if the bronchial tubes are 

 affected, or the throat is sore, etc. You may use counter irritation. 

 Influenza is not generally very fatal ; but when bleeding, purging, etc., 

 were resorted to, the mortality was very great. If an animal shows 

 signs of approaching convalescence, the eye clear, the pulse firmer and 

 slower, appetite returning, the body and limbs more of a natural 

 temperature, etc., you may give sulphate of iron or quinine, or iodide of 

 potassium. If the legs are much swollen, or the nervous centres are 

 affected, give bromide of potassium or nux- vomica. After the fever has 

 passed off, the chlorate of potash is, perhaps, the best. 



Pink Eye or Epizootic Cellulitis is inflammation of the areolar 

 tissue ; shows itself more prominently in connection with the areolar 

 tissue of the skin, mucous membranes, and joints. The ingredients that 

 go to form the fibrine of the blood are increased, and there is a great 

 tendency to the formation of blood clots. It runs its course very 

 quickly. 



Causes. — It is said to be due to a specific germ. If you use an entire 

 horse that has suffered, the mare is very likely to suffer also. 



Symptoms. -^In ordinary cases the respiratory organs are not much 



