280 INFLUENZA OR CATARRHAL FEVER IN HORSES. 



A remarkable prostration of strength soon follows the sup- 

 purative process. Thus about the third or fourth day, 

 after pus has exuded from the nose, the horse, on being 

 moved from his stall or box, will usually be found much 

 weaker than the violence of the acconipanying symptoms 

 would give reason to expect. 



As the purulent discharge becomes confirmed and in- 

 creases in quantity, the disease grows milder, and all the 

 symptoms may be expected to abate. The cough and 

 soreness of throat will lessen, the pulse moderate, the heat 

 of the body will become equable, the countenance more 

 lively, and the horse will now probably be disposed to eat 

 some favourite food. The dung, which has been before 

 dry and in small quantities, and the urine, which has been 

 also spare and high coloured, return to their natural states, 

 and the horse recovers gradually, but seldom rapidly. The 

 disease, how^ever, does not always take this favourable 

 turn ; on the contrary, by injudicious treatment, or by the 

 violence of the attack, or by a translation of the inflauima- 

 tory action, the respiration sometimes becomes greatly dis- 

 turbed, occasioning much heaving at the flanks ; the legs, 

 ears, and muzzle become cold, the pulss is found greatly 

 quickened, and the weakness excessive. The nasal mem- 

 branes now often look in some parts livid, and in others of 

 a fiery red : the discharge from them also is tinged with 

 streaks of blood. In these cases, unless relief be speedily 

 obtained, the pulse will proceed to falter, cold sweats ap- 

 pear, and the animal often sinks on the fifth, sixth, or 

 seventh day. In other cases, these fatal symptoms are not 

 so rapid ; but, eventually, the horse becomes emaciated, 

 and dies after ten, twelve, or fourteen days. Very fre- 

 quently, also, wdien the inflammation has extended to the 

 lungs, serous effusion pours forth, as in pleurisy, and 

 suffocation closes the scene. In some instances a partial 

 recovery takes place ; but the horse remains thick winded, 

 or he proves a roarer, or he becomes altogether broken 

 winded ; which several terminations are more fully detailed 

 in Pneumonia. 



Causes. — It is better to confess these are unknow^n, 

 rather than by a laboured and pretended explanation to 

 endeavour to conceal our ignorance. 



