354 ENZOOTIC AND EPIZOOTIC DISEASES. 



crackling sound when moved, then swell, after which the pain 

 subsides. In other instances the rheumatic inflammation appears 

 in some particular muscle, or more frequently tendon, especially 

 the great flexors of the feet. The swelling and inflammation 

 are generally situated immediately below the knee or hock, in- 

 volving the flexors — perforans and perforatus. The swelling 

 is very great, hot, painful, hard, and causing severe lameness, 

 which sometimes remains for a long time after the animal has 

 regained its health in other respects. 



Few horses suffer from more than one attack during one 

 season ; many cases relapse, but one attack in no degree protects 

 against another at some future period. 



Prognosis. — If properly treated influenza is rarely fatal ; the 

 old, bad constitutioned, and over- worked horses only succumbing. 



TREATMENT. 



The practitioner is always to bear in mind that influenza is a 

 disease which runs a definite course, and that it is in noway 

 cut short by any interference. The treatment must consequently 

 be directed to relieve any distressing symptom, to allay irritability, 

 and to support the strength. 



Comfortable clothing to the body and extremities ; food, con- 

 sisting of warm mashes of bran, boiled oats, linseed, or barley, 

 and an abundance of good cold water for the animal to drink, 

 are always to be recommended. It is good practice to see that 

 the water is so placed that the animal can get at it at its pleasure, 

 for in many instances, if it is not thirsty, it will wash its 

 mouth and cool its tongue, and feel grateful for the relief thus 

 afforded. Inhalations of warm water vapour, continued for an 

 hour at a time, afford much relief, frequently mature the nasal 

 discharges, and relieve the cough. The throat may be fomented 

 with hot water and stimulated with an embrocation consist- 

 ing of ammonia and oil, or at once blistered with the cantharides 

 ointment. Mustard applications are very commonly used. I 

 must confess that I never use mustard, for it causes very much 

 distress, without securing any marked abatement of the disease. 

 If there be much prostration, doses of spirits of nitrous ether, 

 or of the carbonate of ammonia, may be given in cold water 

 two or three times a day ; if the debility is not marked, nitrate 

 of potash or sod. hyposulph. in the enteric form, dissolved in 

 the animal's drink or mixed with its mash. Purgatives are 



