TARCT.] 



MODEKN VHTRRTNAKV I'KACTICE. 



[fauci. 



glanders. But in all cases this might not 

 occur, as there aro some constitutions much 

 more susceptible of disease than others. 



However, this exi)erinient proves the in:itter 

 to be contai^ioiis, because it is possible to pro- 

 duce it on a heullhy aiiiiual. There is nnotlu'r 

 curious fact connected with this poisonous 

 matter. If it is inserted deep below the skin, 

 it does not produce farcy; but is absorbed 

 into the system, and may produce glanders. 

 In this case the absorbents do not inllame, 

 which would prove farcy to be a skin disease, 

 in which the deep-seated absorbents become 

 aflected, and the superficial ones not so. From 

 this cause, if a horse with farcy were to be 

 flaved at this stage of the disease, there would 

 not be the least appearance of it under the 

 ekin ; nor can it be produced in a sound 

 horse without an abraded surface. It may 

 be produced, however, if applied to the mem- 

 brane of the nose of the animal in such a 

 manner as not to abrade the surface. Pro- 

 fessor Coleman's opinion is, that one horse in 

 a stable cannot communicate it to another, 

 without an abraded surface. This would seem 

 to prove that it is generated, and that con- 

 stitutional diseases cannot be produced except 

 by contact. If poisoned atmosphere be in- 

 haled, disease may be propagated by breath- 

 ing it, whilst contagion requires the actual 

 contact of the diseased animal ; though there 

 is little or no distinction, for the poison dot b 

 not come in contact with the lungs under 

 infection. Such diseases are mostly the effect 

 of crowded and filthy stables, and such as are 

 contagious may be produced without contact. 

 With regard to farcy, it has been questioned 

 whether one in one thousand ever becomes 

 affected by the actual touch of this matter, 

 showing clearly that it is not a local disease. 

 Formerly it was thought by some to be caused 

 by drinking cold water, and eating beans ; but 

 it is more likely to be produced by a poisoned 

 atmosphere — an atmosphere over and over 

 again impregnated witli what escapes from the 

 lungs, the skin, the dung, and the urine. 

 During the French war, when an expedition 

 was despatclied to Quiberon, the horses which 

 were shipped on board the transports had to 

 be closed in under the hatchways, so that the 

 poor animals were well-nigh suffocated with 

 beat. The consequence of this was, that when 

 2o 



they were disembarked, nearly every ono of 

 them was cither farcied or glmidered. 



Pure air is so important to life, in every 

 condition, that even the strongest animal, if 

 deprived of it, soon exhibits symptoms of dis- 

 tress. Farcy, therefore, is a consecjuenco of an 

 impure atmosphere, and is intimately connected 

 with glanders. " They will run into each 

 other," says Mr. Youatt ; " or their symptoms 

 will mingle together ; and before either arrives 

 at its fatal termination, the otlier will generally 

 appear. An animal inoculated with the matter 

 of farcy will often bo afflicted with glanders, 

 while the matter of glanders will frequently 

 produce farcy. They are different types of the 

 same disease. There is, however, a very material 

 difference in their symptoms and progress; 

 and tliis most important one of all — that while 

 glanders is incurable, farcy, in its early stage 

 and mild form, may be successfully treated." 



The same writer further adds, that farcv, 

 like glanders, springs from contagion and bad 

 stable management. " It is produced by all 

 the causes which give rise to glanders, with 

 this difFereuce — that it is more frequently 

 generated, and sometimes strangely prevalent, 

 in particular districts. It will attack, at the 

 same time, several horses in the same ill-con- 

 ducted stable, and others in the neighbourhood 

 who have been exposed to the same predis- 

 posing causes. Some have denied that it is a 

 contagious disease. They must have had little 

 experience. It is true that the matter of farcy 

 must come in contact with a wound or sore, 

 in order to communicate the disease ; but 

 accustomed, as horses are, to nibble and play 

 with each other, and sore as the corners of 

 the mouth are frequently rendered by the 

 bit, it is easy to imagine that this may be 

 easily eft'ected ; and experience tells us that a 

 horse having farcy ulcers, cannot be suffered to 

 remain with others without extreme risk." 



Horses most predisposed to farcy, are those 

 that are narrow-chested, with flat sides and 

 long legs. Common farriers say they can cure 

 the disease, because they think it is a merely 

 local affection, and consequently easily treated. 

 In tiiis ^"^lief, they burn the ulcers, aud may, 

 in some instances, perform a partial cure, if 

 the poison has not thoroughly pervaded the 

 system. But in most cases, when thus locally 

 treated, it breaks out again even at the end 



193 



