592 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE 



SOUTH AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS 



ly MANY RESPECTS this rescmbles anthrax, but Major Nunn, Avho was sent 

 out to the Cape to investigate it, only found the anthrax bacilhis, or a similar 

 one, after death, and that the spleen Avas nearly normal instead of, as in true 

 anthrax, containing tarry fluid and being enormously distended. The 

 pathology of African horse sickness is therefore undecided, but its distribu- 

 tion is much wider than was supposed when first it was noticed at the Cape. 

 The Italians at Massowah suffered from it, and it is known well among the 

 Dervish cavalry. Horses that have survived it are comparatively immune 

 and much valued, especially by travellers into the interior, who need " salted " 

 animals more than any one else. 



GLANDERS 



This frightful constitutional disease is due to a specific bacillus 

 gaining access to the blood. It is incurable, and therefox-e it is only necessaiy 

 to study its spnpfo^ns, with a view to distinguish it from ozena, with which 

 alone it is liable to be confounded. Its chronic character and insidious 

 onset will serve to distinguish it from catarrh and strangles. 



At its commencement it seems to be confined to the internal lining of 

 the nostrils, which is not reddened, as in chronic catarrh (ozena), but presents 

 a leaden or purple colour, sometimes of a deep shade, but at first generally 

 very light and pale. This is accompanied by a thin acrid discharge, trans- 

 parent, and without odour. Generally, one nostril only is affected, which in 

 this country is more frequently the left, and in France the right ; but why 

 this should be so has never yet been even conjectured with any appearance 

 of pi'obability. This state of things usually only lasts for a few weeks, but 

 it may go on for an indefinite time, and is recognized as the first stage, 

 during which the health does not suffer, and the horse can, and often does, 

 go on with his ordinary work. It may be distinguished from ozena by the 

 purple colour of the lining membrane, and by the transparency and freedom 

 from smell of the discharge. 



In the second stage the discharge increases in quantity, and though 

 still watery and transparent, it is slightly sticky, indicating the presence of 

 mucus. The lymphatic glands below the jaw enlarge, and become adherent to 

 the bone, feeling hard to the touch, and almost like exostoses. Here the 

 permanent character of the discharge and the adherence of the glands to the 

 bone are the diagnostic signs and distinguish it from ozena. 



In the third stage the discharge increases rapidly, and becomes yellow 

 and opaque — in fact, it is pure pus. If the nose is carefully examined, its 

 lining membrane will be seen to present one or more sores, with depressed 

 centres and ragged edges, and surrounded by small varicose vessels leading 

 to them from all directions. The appetite fails — the horse loses flesh and 

 spirits — the coat is turned the wrong way — the skin is hide-bound, and the 

 legs fill slightly during the day, but go down at night — the nose is, at last, 

 frightfully ulcerated, the sores spreading to the larynx — ulcers break out on 

 the body — and the horse finally dies, worn to a skeleton. 



