SCAELATINA. 389 



may be substituted, particularly if tlie weather be very cold; 

 but beyond doing this to the head, I am of opinion that all other 

 interference does much mischief. 



The swellings are but the result of the condition of the blood, 

 and when the latter is restored to its normal standard the swell- 

 ings will disappear. Indeed, an abatement of the swelling in 

 one part of the body is often succeeded by tumefaction in some 

 other, and perhaps more important structure or organ. The 

 swellings are generally metastatic, and when they are confined to 

 those parts of the body where they cannot endanger life, it is far 

 better to leave them alone. 



Puncturing the swellings is usually recommended and gene- 

 rally practised. In very severe cases of purpura admission of air 

 into the degraded tissues causes deep and sometimes intractable 

 sloughings. Punctures are, therefore, inadmissible. 



If there is dyspnoea from swelling of the throat or nostrils, 

 tracheotomy must be performed, and it ought always to be done 

 early, as it is essential that the horse be enabled to breathe 

 freely ; in fact, it must not be forgotten that oxygen in abun- 

 dance is required by the vitiated blood. The incision into the 

 trachea should be antiseptically treated, as there is a great 

 tendency to gangrene of the exposed structures ; entrance of the 

 gangrenous products into the bronchi, inducing septic pneumonia, 

 thrombi in blood-vessels, pulmonary gangrene, and death. 



II. — SCARLATINA — SCARLET FEVER. 



A febrile disease, characterised by an eruption on the skin, 

 petechial spots on the nose or under surface of the lips, soreness 

 of the throat, and sometimes suppuration in various parts of the 

 body, particularly in the submaxillary space. 



Unlike the scarlatina which attacks the human being, it is a 

 non-contagious disease, generally attacking but one or two horses 

 in a large stud, amongst which some form of epizootic disease is 

 at the time prevalent. 



Dr. Copland, in his Medical Dictionary, article " Skin," says — • 

 " First, That scarlatina was originally a disease of the horse, and 

 that it formerly occurred, and has recently occurred, epidemically 

 or as an epizootic among horses. Secondly, That it was com- 

 municated in comparatively modern times from horses to man. 

 Thirdly, That it may be, and has been, communicated also to 

 the dog." If this be true, scarlatina of the present time must 

 be ver}'- different from what it has been in the past. I have seen 

 numbers of horses suffering from it, but in no case did it ex- 



