STRANGLES. 23,1 



view of tlae nature of strangles. Mr. Castley in ' The Veterinarian ' says 

 that ' the period of strangles is often a much more trying and critical time 

 for young horses than most people seem to be aAvare of ; that when colts 

 get well over this complaint, they generally begin to thrive and improve 

 in a remarkable manner, or there is sometimes as great a change for the 

 worse : in fact, it seems to effect some decided constitutional change in 

 the animal.' 



Mr. Percivall adds, ' The explanation of the case appears to me to be, 

 that the animal is suffering more or less from what I would call strangle 

 fever, — a fever the disposition and tendency of Avhich is to produce local 

 tumoui- and abscess, and most commonly in that situation underneath the 

 jaws, in which it has obtained the name of strangles.' 



Professor Dick, of Edinburgh, adds that which is conclusive on the sub- 

 ject, that ' although the disease commonly terminates by an abscess under 

 the jaw, yet it may, and occasionally does, give rise to collections of matter 

 on other parts of the surface.' 



To this conclusion then we are warranted in coming, — that strangles is 

 a specific affection to which horses are naturally subject at some period of 

 their lives, and the natural cure of which seems to be a suppurative pro- 

 cess, Fi'om some cause, of the nature of which we are ignorant, this 

 suppurative process usually takes place in the space between the branches 

 of the maxillary bone, and occurring there it appears in the mildest form, 

 and little danger attends. When the disease is ushered in by considerable 

 febrile disturbance, and the suppuration takes place elsewhere, the horse 

 too frequently sinks under the attack. 



The treatment of strangles is very simple. As the essence of the dis- 

 ease consists in the formation and suppuration of the specific tumour, the 

 principal, or almost the sole attention of the practitioner should be directed 

 to the hastening of these processes : therefore, as soon as the tumour of 

 strangles is decidedly apparent, the part should be actively blistered. Old 

 practitioners used to recommend poultices, which, from the thickness of 

 the horse's skin, must have very httle effect, even if they could be confined 

 on the part ; and from the difficulty and almost impossibility of this, and 

 their getting cold and hard, they necessarily weakened the energies of 

 nature, and delayed the ripening of the tumoxir. Fomentations are little 

 more effectual. A blister will not only secure the completion of the pro- 

 cess, but hasten it by many days, and save the patient much pain and ex- 

 haustion. It will produce another good effect — it will, previously to the 

 opening of the tumour, abate the internal inflammation and soreness of the 

 throat, and thus lessen the cough and wheezing. 



As soon as the swelling is soft on its surface, and evidently contains 

 matter, it should be freely and deeply lanced. It is a bad, although fi-e- 

 quent practice, to su-ff"er the tumoui- to burst naturally, for a ragged ulcer 

 is formed, very slow to heal, and difficult of treatment. If the incision is 

 deep and' large enough, no second collection of matter will be formed ; 

 and that which is already there may be suff'ered to run out slowly, all 

 pressure with the fingers being avoided. The part should be kept clean, 

 and a little Friar's balsam daily injected into the wound. 



The remainder of the treatment will depend on the symptoms. If there 

 is much fever, and evident affection of the chest, which should carefully 

 be distinguished from the oppression and choking occasioned by the pres- 

 sure of the tumour, it will be proper to give cooling medicines, as nitre, 

 emetic tartar, and perhaps digitalis, as the case requires. The appetite, 

 or, rather, the ability to eat, ^vill generally retui-n with the opening of the 

 abscess. Bran-mashes, fresh-cut grass or tares, should be liberally sup- 

 plied, which will not only afford sufficient nourishment to recruit the 



