DISEASES OP THE HORSE. 501 



stands limp, as if excessively fatigued. There is diminution, or in some 

 cases total loss, of sensibility of tlie skin, so that it may be pricked or 

 handled without attracting the attention of the animal. On move- 

 ment, the horse staggers and shows a want of coordination of all of 

 the muscles of its limbs. The senses of hearing, sight, and taste are 

 diminished, if not entirely abolished. The visible mucous membranes 

 (as the conjunctiva), from which it is known as the pinkeye, and the 

 mouth and the natural openings become of a deep saffron, ocher, or 

 violet-red color. This latter is especially noticeable on the rim of the 

 gums and is a condition not found in any other disease, so that it is an 

 almost diagnostic symptom. In some outbreaks there is much more 

 swelling of the lids and weeping from the eyes than in others. If the 

 animal is bled at this period the blood is found more coagulable than 

 normal, but at a later period it becomes of a dark color and less coagu- 

 lable. There is great diminution or total loss of appetite with an 

 excessive thirst, but in man}" cases in cold-blooded horses the animal 

 may retain a certain amount of appetite, eating slowly at its hay, oats, 

 or other feed. There is some irritation of the mucous membrane of 

 the respiratory tract as shown by discharge of mucus from the nose, 

 and by cough. Pregnant mares are apt to abort. 



We have, following the fever, a tumefaction, or edema, of the subcu- 

 taneous tissues at the fetlocks, of the under surface of the belly, and 

 of the sheath of the penis, which may be excessive. This infiltration 

 is noninflammatory in character and produces an insensibility of the 

 skin like the excessive stocking which we see in debilitated animals 

 after exposure to cold. In ordinarj^ cases the temperature has reached 

 its maximum of 105° or 100° F. in from twent5^-four to forty-eight 

 hours from the origin of the fever. It remains stationary for a period 

 of from three to four days without so much variation between morn- 

 ing and evening temperature as we have in pneumonia or other serious 

 diseases of the lungs. At the termination of the specific course of the 

 disease, which is generall}^ from six to ten days, the fever abates, the 

 swelling of legs and under surface of bell}'^ diminishes, the appetite 

 returns, the strength is rapidly regained, the mucous membranes lose 

 their yellowish color, which they attain so rapidly at the commence- 

 ment of the disease, and the animal convalesces promptly to its ordi- 

 nar}^ good condition and health, and rapidly regains the large amount 

 of weight which it lost in the earlv part of the disease, a loss which 

 frequently reaches 30, 50, or even 75 pounds each twent^^-four hours. 

 For the first three days of the high temperature there is a great ten- 

 dency to constipation, which should be avoided if possible by the use 

 of the means recommended below, for, if it has been marked, it may 

 be followed by a troublesome diarrhea. 



Terminations. — The termination of simple influenza may be death by 

 extreme fever, with failure of the heart's action; from excessive coma, 



