XI] ORGANIC, FUNCTIONAL AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 157 



perature as for tuberculin test. {See Sec. 610.) 

 Inject 2 cc. mallein sol. into side of neck under 

 skin, not into muscle. Afterwards take tempera- 

 ture every three hours for thirty-six hours, and 

 watch the swelling on the neck. If horse has 

 glanders, temperature will rise 2° to 4° F., maxi- 

 mum in fifteen hours, which will continue for 

 ten to fifteen more hours. The swelling at the 

 point of hypodermic injection will become very 

 large, seldom less than 5 in. in diameter ; it 

 increases in size up to twenty-four to thirty-six 

 hours, or even longer. If horse has not glanders, 

 the swelling will seldom get larger than 3 in. in 

 diameter, and will be practically gone in twenty- 

 four hours, and temperature will not be affected. 

 The period of incubation for glanders is one to 

 six, or more, weeks. 



If the horse has glanders it must be destroyed, 

 and all tools and clothing destroyed or made 

 thoroughly aseptic. Other horses that have been 

 in contact must be isolated and tested. Report 

 to local authorities. Permanent immunity from 

 glanders cannot up to the present be acquired, 

 either by a previous attack or by introduction of 

 antitoxins, etc. Mallein will in no way make a 

 horse immune from glanders. A horse may have 

 chronic glanders for years without having an 

 acute attack. 



614. Staggers, Epilepsy or Megrims. — Sun- 

 stroke is really a form of staggers. 



Cause. — Tight collars, which interfere with 

 circulation, tight check-reins, exposure to great 

 heat, sun, etc. Overworking in hot weather. 

 Another form is caused by engorged stomach. 



Symptoms. — Sudden. Horse staggers and 

 throws head about. Quickened breathing. Per- 

 haps convulsions and loss of consciousness. 



Treatment. — Remove cause. If from collar, 

 drive with breast collar. Remove all headgear, 

 and apply ice packs to top of head, or cold water 

 irrigation. Keep very quiet, and feed and exer- 

 cise carefully for days. Keep bowels open to 

 prevent recurrence. If stomach is engorged, 

 treat with arecolene. Give caffein citrate 3 gr. 

 hypodermically. 



615. Sunstroke is a sudden state of uncon- 

 sciousness. 



Cause. — Nearly always brought on by con- 

 tinued exposure to great heat, or to the sun, 

 while at work. Seldom occurs when at rest, 

 unless horse is tied out in the open with no 

 shade and no mane to protect his poll. The un- 

 consciousness is produced by the shock or the 

 fatigue causing temporary failure of the heart. 

 Insufficient water predisposes the horse to the 

 disease; so does bad ventilation, exposure to sun 

 rays while in the stable or picketed, insufficient 

 cooling food, as green food, and too much corn 

 or heating food, as peas, beans, etc. 



Symptoms.— Horse starts off all right, then 

 becomes distressed, and begins to falter, to totter, 

 and eventually falls down insensible. He may be 



quiet, which is hopeful, or he may throw 

 himself about in convulsions, being unable to 

 raise his hindquarters, which will be paralysed. 

 This paralysis is a distinct symptom of sun- 

 stroke. The horse is unconscious, which distin- 

 guishes the disease from azoturia. Respiration 

 quick and shallow, pulse quick and weak, tem- 

 perature high. May be sweat on skin. Muscles 

 may quiver. Eyes stare, but cannot see. Fatal 

 cases in six hours. Congestion and inflammation 

 of the lungs may follow when apparently con- 

 valescent. 



Treatment. — Avoid any predisposing causes 

 as a preventive. Never take a horse out in hot 

 weather if there is any sign of unnatural breath- 

 ing or ill-health. Sun-bonnets are of little use 

 unless they shade eyes and forehead. Give 

 plenty of salt and water. In a threatened case, 

 give an oil purgative, and phenacetin 1 dr. 

 every four hours. Give plenty of green food and 

 water, and no oats, beans, peas and maize. 



Treatment of horse that has fallen. — Apply 

 cold water from a hose over head, spine, body 

 and legs. Pack ice between the ears and over 

 forehead and down crest of neck. Give no 

 medicines if horse is unconscious. Horse may 

 recover in an hour or less. Treat afterwards as 

 for threatened case. On recovering conscious- 

 ness, give i pt. whisky in 1 qt. water or 4 oz. 

 aromatic spirits of ammonia. Keep horse 

 quiet. 



616. Nagana, or Tsetse Fly Disease.— Very 

 uncommon on American continent, but common 

 in Africa. 



Cause. — Directly, by a protozoa, trypanosoma 

 Brucii, which is carried in the stomach and 

 salivary glands of the tsetse fly. 



Symptoms .—High temperature, 104° to 106°. 

 Anaemic, due to red corpuscles being destroyed 

 by the protozoon. Later, swelling of head, legs 

 and urino-genital organs. Gourse, about thirty 

 days. 



Treatment. — The best treatment known is 

 pot. iodide and carbolic internally, followed by 

 arsenic, cinchona, and careful dieting and 

 diuretics. 



617. Lampas, or Swollen Hard Palate. 

 Cause. — Indigestion, cutting of teeth, bad 



health. 



Symptoms. — Swelling on hard palate on roof 

 of mouth. Off feed. Difficulty in eating. 



Treatment. — Do not burn or cut the swelling ; 

 such is useless and cruel. Give cooling diet, 

 diuretics and gentle exercise. 



618. Melanosis.— Caused by a micro-organ- 

 ism. Is practically entirely confined to grey 

 horses. Tumours, containing a tarry substance, 

 appear on the tail or near it, and perhaps on 

 the sheath and crest of the neck. The hairs on 

 these parts eventually drop out. These tumours 

 appear vi^hen the horse is turning white, at about 

 eight to ten years of age. The tar-like material 



