DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 71 



stage, which may be from three to six or nine days. Next is the 

 febrile condition, which may be ushered in by slight rigours, giving 

 rise to quickened pulse, impaired appetite, pains in the loins, back, etc., 

 then eruptions of the skin, small reddish nodules about the size of a 

 pin head, and larger, with a reddened surrounding, then formed 

 into vesicles filled with a clear, transparent lymph. The contents 

 of these become purulent ; then it becomes pustular, and is the 

 second stage. The third stage is a drying up of this purulent mat- 

 ter, and a dark brownish crust is formed, detached, and falls oft" in 

 scales. There is a primary and a secondary fever — the secondary 

 being the more dangerous — caused by absorption of this matter into 

 the system. The fever is more severe just before the eruption becomes 

 complete The blood being in a state to give rise to these eruptions, 

 also gives rise to great fever, intense headache, etc. In man, the second- 

 ary fever is caused by some material becoming absorbed. This is not of 

 a fatal character— except small pox in sheep, where it is just about as 

 fatal as small-pox in man. It can be convej-ed from the horse to the 

 cow, man, etc., the cow being the place where man gets his variola. 



Variola Equinae, or Horse-Pox.— It is occasionally noticed in 

 this country and in Europe, but not so common as cow-pox. It may 

 be characterized as an eruptive vescichlo-pustular disease, preceded in 

 most cases by more or less fever, which may be comparatively mild, and 

 may be entirely overlooked ; a slightly quickened condition of the pulse 

 — forty-live beats per minute, or even more — appetite somewhat impaired. 

 The eruption shows itself upon any part of the body, but more particu- 

 larly about the lips, heels, nose, mouth, nostrils, etc., and can be more 

 readily seen in white-skinned horses. Some say it affects the schneiderian 

 membrane. It may be communicated to man and the cow, and I believe 

 to some other of the domestic animals. It may be characterized as a 

 bloody disease, due to a virus or poison. The virus is generally in a fixed 

 form ; some say it is in a volatile form ; I think it is in a fixed form 



Syniptoius. — There is more or less fever ; pulse comparatively weak 

 and very quick; increased thirst; impaired appetite; but not gen- 

 erally gone entirely : red disc-shaped patches appear upon the skin, 

 each having a depression in its centre, from which the pustules are 

 developed, from which exudes more or less serum.' They vary in 

 size according to the situation they occupy ; they are larger in the 

 heels on account of there being a greater number of sebaceous 

 glands. These pustules may become confluent, and parts of the body 

 may become one large sore. The schneiderian membrane may pre- 

 sent an ulcerated appearance. These ulcers have a great tendency 

 to heal, while in glanders they will not heal. There is a discharge 

 of saliva if the mouth is affected ; masticulation performed with 

 more or less difficulty. It may extend and involve the throat and 

 even the intestinal canal. It usually runs its course in from eight 

 to fifteen days, and until the scab begins to fall off, or convalescence, is 

 about three weeks. This may be conveyed by contact in various ways — 

 by the groom's clothes saddles, harness, and may be given by inocula- 

 tion, as irritating the skin and rubbing some of the matter upon the place. 



Treatment is simple : cleanliness, a laxative diet, food such as will act 

 upon the bowels, bran mashes, linseed meal ; or if in summer, give green 

 food ; give hypo sulphite of soda, nitrate of potash and sulphur in small 

 doses. The danger is in checking the eruption. It will get well readily 

 if properly treated. The animal must not be exposed to the cold. Give 

 something to increase the eruption, instead of trying to stop it. Give 

 something to act upon the blood. For a local application, sulphate of 



