DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 131 



Mr. L. N. IlALBERT, Bonliani, Fiiuiiiu Coimty, Texas, says : 



We are not often troubled with diseases of a prevalent character among farni-aui- 

 rnals, yet now and then wo have glanders in horses, a disease which tho old Texans 

 denominate " Mexican distemper." When introduced upon a farm or t)n a range it 

 proves very disastrous, and is beyond cure. I had it in my stock in 1871, and before 

 becoming satisfied as to what it was, I used every remedy within my knowledge or 

 that I could hear of. Finally I resorted to what I now believe to be the only remedy — 

 powder and lead. It is much more fatal, does its work more rapidly, and is more to 

 be dreaded among mules than among horses. I lost some of my best plow-teams of both 

 mules and horses before I was able to an-est the disease by a change of stables, lots, 

 &c., and the killing of those afflicted. I have also been greatly annoyed with fistula, 

 a very bad tumor or rising on the withers. I have used manj^ remedies, such as scar- 

 ring with spirits of turpentine, lancing and putting in arsenic, burnt alum, concentrated 

 lye, &c., but never succeeded in arresting but one case, and tiiat at a very early stage. 

 This I did by burning with a red-hot ring, circling the rising. A sure remedy is to 

 rowel with a red-hot steel spindle through the cartilage of the neck, just missing tho 

 blade-bones. This operation never fails to cure. 



I ought to have stated, while on the subject of glanders, that the symptoms are 

 thickness of wind and stupor from three to live days before the nostrils begin to dis- 

 charge. The discharges frequently begin in the right nostril several days before the 

 left one is affected. The discharges are of a yellowish color, sticky if taken between 

 the fingers, and becoming more abundant and oft'ensive the further the disease pro- 

 gresses in its fatal work. The disease continues until suffocation ends the life of the 

 animal. 



Mr. John M. CHArMAx, Charleston, Mississippi County, Missouri, 

 says : 



The fistula, a terrible and oifensive disease, makes its api^earauce on the withers of 

 the horse just at the top of the shoulder-blade, at first upon one side only, but if the 

 progress of the disease is not checked it will hnallj'^ pass to the other side. A bruise 

 of some kind is nearly always its cause. This the horse may receive in various ways, 

 by striking the top of his shoulders in passing under a low stable-door, by bites from 

 another animal, by rolling on stones or roots, or by an ill-fitting saddle. The disease 

 is easily cured by the use of the following remedy : Take one-half bushel of may-apple 

 root and pour over it about four gallons of water, and boil down to one gallon. Strain 

 this, and mix with it about one-half gallon of old grease. Place the mixture on the 

 fire and stew down to one gallon. During this process throw into it about one-half 

 pint of salt, then let it cool, and it is ready for use. It should be applied with a mop 

 or brush every morning, but the sore should be washed clean the night before. An 

 application of this remedy will cure almost any case of fistula in from two to six 

 weeks. 



Founder prevails to a great extent in this locality. The first noticeable symptom is 

 the restlessness of the horse and frequent shifting of the fore feet. The pulse is 

 quick and his nostrils have a red appearance. The horse indicates his sufferings by 

 heavy grunts. He does not stand long upon his feet, but cannot lie down in the 

 usual manner. After making several eftbrts to do so he will rise up, turn round, 

 change his position, and resume his feints to lie down. The remedy for this disease is 

 to bleed freely withoutjdelay. Let the blood run free, and take at least a gallon of it. 

 The object of this is to draw away the blood from the overloaded vessels of the feet. 

 Always bleed in the neck. After this prepare a kettle of hot salt water, and drench 

 with it as hot as the horse can bear it. Next bathe his feet and legs with it, and rub 

 them well with a rough cloth. Make this application three or four times in the course 

 of an hour, and then rub well around the edge of the hoof with turpentine. Do not 

 attempt to work the animal until he gets entirely well. Another remedy is to pour 

 the frog of the foot full of turpentine, hold it up, and burn the turpentine out. This 

 is a little barbarous, but it is an infallible remedy, 



Pole-evil is a tumor that comes on the head, or, more properly speaking, on the ex- 

 treme forwai-d part of tjie neck, just back of the ears. It is generally caused by being 

 struck on the head by an enraged groom, and if it produces no other bad results it is 

 sure to raise a large lump. I do not know of a case that ever caused death, but if not 

 checked, the disease will render the horse unfit for use. The same treatment as in 

 fistula will always effect a cure. 



Mr. G. W. Johnson, Humboldt, Hunt County, Texas, says: 



Blind-staggers in horses is perhaps the most fatal disease we have here. The remedy 

 is to bleed freely from the neck, taking enough blood to cause the horse to show signs 

 of faintness. Then give a drench composetl of a tablespoonful each of spirits of tur- 



