EPIZOOTIC PNEUMONIA. 371 



TREATMENT. 



From the foregoing observations, it will be understood that 

 the local complications of this disease are preceded by fever, the 

 pleural and pulmonary inflammation appearing after a few days 

 have elapsed. The fever is of a typhoid or adynamic character, 

 and the severity of the chest affection is generally in accordance 

 with that of the premonitory fever. The fever, slight perhaps 

 at first, is very often intensified by the suffering animal being 

 kept at its ordinary work for some time after the appetite has 

 failed. This inattention on the part of those in charge of horses 

 is often a cause of great loss, inducing a fatal termination where 

 recovery might reasonably have been expected. The febrile 

 state and the local inflammation are increased by all debilitating 

 influences, such as bad food, previous disease, natural delicacy 

 of constitution, by the abstraction of blood, and very commonly 

 by the administration of purgatives. Many horses are destroyed 

 by the administration of aloes, a dose of which is often given 

 when the horse is seen to be " off his feed." Superpurgation may 

 not be induced, but the chest inflammation is much increased, 

 and the animal often succumbs. 



There is another practice in vogue, more particularly amongst 

 horse-dealers, namely, that of giving a purgative (aloetic) ball 

 to nearly every fresh horse they buy, and this is done without 

 taking the health of the animal at the time into consideration 

 at all. I am convinced that this is a most reprehensible practice, 

 leading to grave pulmonary diseases and to death, more especially 

 if an epizootic is prevalent. 



The pathology of chest inflammation leads us to the conclu- 

 sion that when once established it runs through certain stages, 

 namely, congestion of the vessels, the outpouring of an effusion, 

 and the formation of an exudate. The congestion, effusion, and 

 exudation are determined by the intensity of the preceding 

 fever. If the fever is slight, the local disease will be slight 

 also ; if, on the contrary, the fever is severe, the local inflam- 

 mation will be proportionately grave. During some seasons the 

 disease from its commencement is severe, and then the weakly 

 succumb. But at other times this is not the case, and very 

 few deaths result from the disease ; but its character is always 

 rendered more serious bv irrational treatment. 



