66 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



intestines, or mesentery, usually close to a ganglion of lymph- 

 atic vessels : this is known as the irregular or malignant form 

 of strangles, and is often very troublesome and dangerous 

 ■ — as in cases where the tumour forms in the mesentery or 

 other situation, where it is extremely difficult, or even 

 impossible, to get at it. Sometimes an animal, while 

 appearing to be in a perfectly normal condition otherwise, 

 will be noticed to move stiffly, and on examination a tumour 

 will be found on the inside of the thigh. A very large 

 majority of horses suffer from the disease. Some horses escape 

 it altogether ; but such cases are few and far between. 



Causes. — It is claimed by some that during early life 

 there is an excess of white corpuscles contained within the 

 blood, and that this excess is got rid of by the various 

 changes produced by strangles. It is also supposed to be 

 due to the process of dentition ; however, it is a difficult 

 matter to say definitely what the cause is. 



Contagion. — Is said to be a common cause, and I am of 

 the opinion that it is contagious under certain circumstances, 

 but I do not consider it as a very highly contagious disease. 

 It often runs through a stable, affecting every animal in it ; 

 still, such an occurrence does not constitute absolute proof 

 that the disease is a contagious one. It is claimed that 

 strangles has been produced by inoculation. Atmospheric 

 conditions may possibly have something to do with its pro- 

 duction. Certain influences, as impure air, poor keep, or 

 anything that tends to debilitate, certainly have a tendency 

 to aggravate, if not actually produce, an attack of strangles. 

 It may occur at any season of the year, and will often 

 occur on bringing a horse into the stable in the spring, 

 after allowing him to run out in the barn-yard or straw- 

 yard during the winter — occurring in such a case as the 

 result of change of temperature, a change from a cold 

 place to a warm place producing the disease more readily 



