544 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE 



through the ordinary medium of the circulation. The following is a suitable 

 preparation : — 



Extract of Belladonna 1 drachm. 



Nitrate of Potash 2 drachms. 



Honey 2 drachma. 



Mix for one dose. 



This quantity may be safely given three times a day. With abatement 

 of the acute symptoms extract of gentian may be substituted for belladonna 

 as calculated to restore appetite and enable the animal to recover from the 

 weakness induced by a severe attack. The administration of both balls and 

 drinks is attended with some danger, and if the latter are given the head 

 should not be held up for long together, and only small " go-downs " at a 

 time attempted. The electuary is undoubtedly the form of medicament 

 to be chosen for cases of the class under consideration. 



Gruel and soft food generally should be given, and the bedding must not 

 be of a kind that a greedy animal would eat during convalescence. The 

 greatest care must be taken to prevent a relapse, by avoiding all excite- 

 ment either by stimulating food or fast exercise. 



Chronic laryngitis may occur as the result of the acute form above 

 described, or it may come on gradually, without any violent inflammation 

 preceding it. In either case the symptoms are similar in their nature to 

 those met with in the acute form, but less in degree. The noise made is 

 not nearly so harsh, and can often hardly be heard on the most careful 

 examination. The peculiar harsh, grating cough is, however, always pre- 

 sent, and by it the nature of the case may generally be easily made out. 

 The disease often accompanies strangles, although in nine cases out of ten 

 it is overlooked by the careless attendant. Very commonly, however, it 

 makes its ravages in so insidious a manner that no suspicion is felt of its 

 presence, until the horse begins to make a noise, though he must in all 

 probability have shown by the cough peculiar to the complaint that it has 

 been working its way for some weeks at least. Such cases chiefly occur in 

 the training stable, and are due, according to my belief, to the enormous 

 quantity of oats which it is now the fashion to give to colts from the 

 earliest period of their lives, increased to seven and eight feeds a day during 

 the second year. Continued spirit-drinking has precisely the same effect 

 upon the human being, and the harsh stridulous cough of the confirmed 

 drunkard marks the existence of ulceration of the larynx, in the only way 

 which he will allow it to be displayed, for he is not, like the horse, made to 

 exert his powers of running, whether his wind is good or bad. There is, of 

 course, a considerable difference between the two diseases, but there is 

 sufficient analogy between them to explain why the stimulus of over-corning 

 should affect the larynx in preference to any other part. It would be 

 difficult to show the connection between the two in any other way, beyond 

 the simple fact that roaring has become general in an exact proportion to 

 the prevalence of the present fashion of feeding. The advocates of the plan 

 will say that though the two have come in together, yet it is merely a 

 coincidence, and not a consequence, the one of the other ; but if it can be 

 shown that in man a similar cause produces a similar effect, the argument 

 is strengthened to such a degree as to be almost unanswerable. But what- 



