DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 527 



dirty white in color, ragged, and exuding a viscous, oily discharge. 

 There is no disposition to suppuration of the neighboring glands. In 

 variola the ros}" shallow ulcer and healthy pus, with the acutely tumi- 

 fied glands, should not be mistaken, at least after a day. I have seen 

 acute glanders in mules which required a dnj^s delay to differentiate 

 from strangles; at that time the farcy buds appeared. 



Prognosis. — The average case of horsepox runs a course of dejec- 

 tion, loss of appetite, and more or less fever for about four days, fol- 

 lowed by a rapid convalescence, and leaves the animal as well and as 

 sound as before. If the eruption has been excessive or confluent, the 

 ulcerations ma}'^ act as irritants and render the animal unfit for use for 

 several weeks. Laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia in 

 this disease are not of greater gravity than they are when occurring 

 from other causes. The spots denuded of pigment left by the pustules 

 on the lips and genitals may temporaril}^ depreciate the value of the 

 animal to a slight degree. 



Treatment. — As this is a disease unattended by alterations of the 

 blood itself, although a specific fever, and is of a sthenic tvpe, active 

 remedies are admissible and indicated. The horse should be placed 

 on a low diet (little or no oats) — bran mashes, a moderate quantit}" of 

 good, sound hay, a few carrots or apples, which will act as laxatives, 

 and slop feed. Barley flour is more cooling for mashes than bran or 

 oatmeal. Water ma}^ be given as the animal desires it, but it should 

 not be cold; if a half bucketful of water is kept in the manger the 

 hoi'se will take but a few swallows at a time. One-dram doses of 

 nitrate of potfish or 1-ounce doses of sweet spirits of niter are useful 

 in the drinking water. If the fever is high the antip\'retics are indi- 

 cated: Sulphate of quinine in 1-dram doses; iodide of potash in 1-dram 

 doses; infusion of pine tops, of juniper leaves, of the aromatic herbs, 

 or (;f English breakfast tea are useful in the later stages. If compli- 

 cations of the air passages or lungs are threatened, a large mustard 

 poultice should be applied to the belh' and sides of the chest. Oxide 

 of zinc ointment should be used on confluent eruptions, and if the 

 ulceration is excessive it may have to be touched with caustic. 



Great care must be taken to keep the animal protected from cold 

 drafts of air or other exposure. Blankets or sheets should be used on 

 the bod}^ and bandages on the legs. After convalescence is established, 

 nutritious food of easy digestion and walking exercise are all that is 

 needed, except perhaps a little Glauber's salts to prevent constipation. 



P/'oj)hyI.actic treatment. — ^Vhen horsepox breaks out among a 

 large number of horses, especially on a farm where there are a num- 

 ber of colts, it may be assumed that the greater majoritj' will contract 

 the disease, and it is more economical that they should have it and be 

 through v.'ith it at once. If the weather is moderate all the animals 

 which have not been affected can be inoculated, which will produce the 



