Book VII. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 979 



in distemper, but by nn means common in pneumonia. The sore throat in distemper gives the horse a 

 disposition to refuse his food, or he chews it and lets the quid fall without swallowing it. He refuses 

 water, particularly if it be placed on the ground. His cough is quick, short, and usually sounds more moist 

 than harsh and dry ; but though common, this is not invariably the case. His eyes are heavy and moist, 

 his breathing is quickened, and his ears and legs are alternately hot and cold. His nose on looking into it 

 is redder than usual, and sometimes his glands, as well submaxillary or jaw glands, as his parotid or 

 vives, are tumified. On the second or thiru day excessive weakness comes on ; the cough becomes more 

 painful, the pulse is quickened, and the nose begins to run. After which the horse either runs off' the 

 disease by this suppuration, or it goes on to destroy him by the height of the fever, and degree of weak. 

 ness produced, or by suffocation from water in the chest. Now and then, although recovery takes place, 

 an obstinate cough is left ; and in a few cases the disease terminates in glanders. 



6435. The treatment may in some cases be cut very short; for as in almost every instance a shivering 

 fit begins the disease, so when many horses are in a stable, and the disease is very prevalent, those who 

 have not been attacked should be watched, and the moment such an attack does take place, give of 

 street spirit of nitre, or when not at hand of spirit of hartshorn, an ounce, in a pint of sound ale. 

 Exercise the horse brisklv, then well hand rub him, clothe him warmly, and it is more than probable that 

 the disease will be cut short. But should it proceed, or should the disease have gone on unobserved to 

 the appearance of the symptom detailed, begin by bleeding moderately, if the horse be not already weak, 

 or if there have not appeared the running of matter from the nose. If there have, the bleeding had 

 better be dispensed with, unless the fever appear, from the quick full pulse and redness of the inner sur- 

 face of the nostrils and eyelids, to be still so considerable as to require it ; in which case we must not be 

 deterred from one moderate bleeding ; and which, if the febrile symptoms do not abate, may be even 

 repeated. It will, however, in general cases, be advisable to avoid bleeding after the second day of the 

 attack, or after the discharge has appeared from the nose, or after considerable weakness has come on. 

 In all cases a very cool temperature is essentially requisite: hot stables or hot clothing is very per- 

 nicious, but particularly the former. A hood is not improper over the head, because it encourages the 

 running to make an earlv appearance ; and for this reason a warm mash may advantageously be hung 

 round the neck three or four times a dav. Before the discharge commences, give night and morning the 

 fever powder (Vet Pharm. 6578. No. 1. or 2.) in a mash or drink ; after the running has come on, or as 

 soon as the weakness has become considerable, give night and morning either of the fever drinks. (Vet. 

 Pharm. 657!'. No. 3. or 4.) Malt mashes, when the weakness is great, are proper; at other times bran 

 mashes with plenty of chilled water are best. To relieve the throat, rub the outside with mild liquid 

 blister [Vet. Pharm. 6563.) ; and if the weather be warm enough to allow it, two or three hours turning 

 out in a field each day is proper. Green meat in the stable, when it can be procured, should likewise 

 be given. 



6436. Malignant epidemic, murrain, or pest. Now and then the distemper or influenza assumes a 

 character of uncommon malignance ; which is happily not frequent here, but not unfrequent in con- 

 tinental countries; sweeping oft'a third of the horses and kine, without any means being found sufficient 

 to arrest its progress. In these cases it is highly contagious, attacking alrm>t all the horses as well as 

 cattle within its sphere of action, or which communicate with each other. Dr. Layard, and Osmer, 

 English writers of established reputation, noticed the appearances of this disease long ago ; and their 

 descriptions are not different from the milder kind noticed ^'434.) but in degree. The throat is intensely 

 sore, and the mouth ulcerated ; the glands of the head swell, and sometimes these and other parts sup- 

 purate and burst. The matter from the nose is bloody, and the stench intolerable; the weakness is also 

 peculiarly great, and shows itself early. 



6437. The treatment recommended by Blaine is the early use of malt mashes ; even ale is indispensable. 

 Green meat should be allowed, and a very cool stall is necessary, having a free communication with the 

 open air. As medicine, three doses are necessary, every day, of the malignant epidemic fever drink [Vet. 

 Pharm 6582.) ; half a pint of yeast with a pint of ale has been given, with good effect, three times a day ; 

 also, to prevent the infection from spreading, fumigate the stables and all the outhouses with the preven- 

 tive fumigation. {Vet. Pharm. 6583.) 



Subsect. 3. Diseases of the Head. 



6438. Epilepsy, megrims, sturdy, or turnsick, are epileptic attacks of greater or less violence, and which 

 are apt to be confounded with the accidental strangulation that sometimes takes place, from a collar too 

 tight, or from driving a horse hard up hill, &c. The epileptic fit makes its appearance by a sudden stop ; 

 if the horse be in action he shakes his head, looks wild and irresolute, but after some time he proceeds ; 

 when more violent, he suddenly falls down, is convulsed, dungs and stales insensibly, and remains some 

 time before he recovers. This disease, like staggers, is generally the consequence of too full a habit ; and 

 is, therefore, best relieved by bleeding, and a more moderate diet ; and, where it is convenient, a run at 

 grass shoula be allowed to alter the habit. 



6439. The diseases of the horse's eyes are not numerous, but they are very destructive. The principal 

 are ophthalmia and gutta serena. 



6440. The ophthalmia, lunatic, or moon-blindness, is a very peculiar disease among horses, affecting their 

 eyes generally about their full growth, but sometimes later, and seldom earlier. It is but little know n 

 among mules and asses, and unknown in oxen and sheep. It does not, however, appear to be a disease 

 natural to the horse, as wild ones, or even those little subjected to artificial restraints, are not observed to be 

 subject to it : but among others, it is become so common as to have the tendency handed down in the breed, 

 the progeny of some stallions being more prone to it than others. It is often very sudden in its attack, 

 the eyelids being found swelled and almost closed to avoid the light ; they are also very red within, and 

 the haw is half drawn over the surface ; the tears flow down the face perpetually, and the whole head 

 is hot: now and then these appearances come on gradually. The suddenness of the attack makes the 

 complaint to be attributed to accident, as blows, hay-seeds within the eye, &c; and it is frequently 

 difficult to get the owner of such a horse to believe that a constitutional attack, as it usually is, can 

 come on so suddenly. Sometimes as it comes on quickly, so it goes off, the eye, from being opaque and 

 milkv, in twenty-four hoi is becoming clear and almost well. When such an attack has taken plait, 

 even'if nothing be done, the horse sooner or later amends, and the eye or eyes, — for it is sometimes one, 

 and sometimes both that are so attacked, — become again clear and well, and remain so an indefinite period, 

 from five or six weeks to as manv months. Another attack, however, sooner or later follows, to which 

 others succeed, each leaving increased milkiness on the outer coats, and some dimness within the pupil, 

 either speck-like or diffused; and finally the horse becomes blind from cataract. When one eye goes 

 blind totally before the other, it is often the means of preventing the future attack on the remaining one ; 

 which has given rise to a custom of putting out one eve to save the other, and which has succeeded. As 

 this is a constitutional disease, brought on by artificial habits, as over-exertion, close unhealthy con- 

 finement, and heating food ; so it is clear the abstraction of all these are necessary to remove the com- 

 plaint, and to prevent a recurrence ; but particularly the close, dark, anil unventilated state of the stable 

 should be attended to, as well as the removal of the litter, which retains the volatile alkali of the urine, 

 and irritates the eyes most injuriously. The food should be mild and cooling, and the exercise moderate, 

 but long continued. Under the height of the attack, however, rest is advisable, with moderate light, which 

 mavbe still further moderated by keeping over the eye or eves a thick cloth wet with goulard water, (let. 

 Pharm. 6575.) Sometimes one quarter of vinegar to three quarters of water has been found a useful 

 application and whichever is used, the eves and eyebrows should be kept continually wet with it, which 



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