222 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



appear staring, bloodshot; the ears are on the alert to catch all sounds; 

 the head is held erect. In some cases the animal will continuaUy 

 rub and bite the locality of the wound inflicted by the rabid animal. 

 This symptom may precede all others. Generall}' the bowels become 

 constipated and he makes frequent attempts at urination, which is 

 painful, and the urine ver}- dark colored. The furious symptoms 

 appear in paroxj^sms; at other times the animal may eat and drink, 

 although swallowing appears to become painful toward the latter stage 

 of the disease, and may cause renewed paroxysms. The muscles of 

 the limbs or back maj' be subject to intermittent spasms, or spasmodic 

 tremors; finalh', the hind limbs become paralyzed, breathing ver3- dif- 

 ficult, and convulsions supervene, followed by death. The pulse and 

 respirations are increased in frequenc}' from the outset of the attack. 

 Rabies maj' possibly be mistiiken for tetanus. In the latter disease 

 we find tonic spasms of the muscles of the jaws, or stiffness of the 

 neck or back very earh' in the attack, and evidence of viciousness is 

 absent. 



Treatment. — As soon as the true nature of the disease is ascertained 

 the animal should be killed. 



Prevention. — When a horse is known to have been bitten by a rabid 

 animal, immediate cauterization of the wound with a red-hot iron ma}^ 

 possibh^ destroy the virus before absorption of it takes place. 



PLUMBISM, OR LEAD POISONING. 



This disease is not of frequent occurrence. It may be due to habit- 

 ually drinking water which has been standing in leaden conductors or in 

 old paint barrels, etc. It has been met with in enzootic form near 

 smelting works, where, bj^ the fumes arising from such works, lead in 

 the form of oxide, carbonate, or suli)hate was deposited on the grass 

 and herbage which the horses ate. 



Symjjtoms. — Lead poisoning produces derangement of the functions 

 of digestion and locomotion or it may affect the lungs principally. In 

 whatever system of organs the lead is deposited mostly there will we 

 have the symptoms of nervous debility most manifest. If in the 

 lungs, the breathing becomes difiicult and the animal gets out of breath 

 very quickly when he is compelled to run. Roaring, also, is very fre- 

 quently a symptom of lead poisoning. When it affects the stomach, 

 the animal gradually falls away in flesh, the hair becomes rough, the 

 skin tight, and colicky sjnnptoms develop. When the deposit is prin- 

 cipall}^ in the muscles, partial or complete paralysis gradually develops. 

 When large quantities of lead have been taken in and absorbed, symp- 

 toms resembling epilepsy may result, or coma and delirium develop 

 and prove fatal. In lead poisoning there is seldom an}'^ increase in 

 temperature. A blue line forms along the gums of the front teeth, 



