DISEASES OF THE GLANDS. ' 159 



unknown, and farmers and horsemen generally speak of the 

 much too familiar "distemper," only. 



Yet there are some features characteristic of distemper 

 which do not correspond with the description of strangles, 

 as we find it given by foreign writers. Youatt says that the^ 

 latter disease is "principally incident to young horses, usually 

 appearing between the fourth and* fifth year." Distemper, 

 however, is found to attack animals of all ages and condi- 

 tions, though it is quite true that the young are the ones 

 most subject to it. But the chief point of dissimilarity ap- 

 pears in this, that while no author makes any mention of 

 strangles being a contagious disease, distemper partakes of 

 that character in the highest degree. 



There are three distinct stages of this disease. The first 

 is marked by a dry, hacking cough, attended by a running 

 at the nose. The discharge, at first thin and watery, soon 

 becomes thick and purulent, and is always of a whitish 

 color. This color, and also the cough, will be indications to 

 which the keeper will give the utmost heed, as showing that 

 the disease i^not glanders. But if these symptoms are not 

 sufiaciently clear, others will soon follow which can not be 

 mistaken. 



The second stage comes on rapidly. The horse begins to 

 swell under the throat, and examination reveals that it is 

 the topsils and salivary glands which are affected. They 

 have been inflamed from the beginning ; the glands are now 

 closed, and matter is forming in them. [NTature is striving 

 diligently to throw off* the disease in this way. An abscess 

 next establishes itself in the throat, and in this are collected 

 all the mattery secretions of the glands. 



The abscess continues to enlarge until presently it breaks, 

 and the matter is discharged. This constitutes the third 

 Btage. Matter may run for weeks, or perhaps months, but 

 from this time the horse generally begins to amend. 



During the whole progress of the disease there is high 

 fever, and the pulse is excited and hard. The appetite fails, 

 and the horse gradually loses flesh, until, at last, he is re- 



