STOMACH STAGGERS. 153 



stomach was in almost every instance found loaded with dry un- 

 digested food, I have considered that as the immediate cause of 



contagious, but now fear it is higlily so ; yet do not think this circumstance 

 has been proved. When the disorder last began, a neighbour who had lost 

 a great many horses by it sent a parcel of their skins to a neighbouring town 

 to be sold. The horses that drew the waggon in which they were conveyed 

 were the next — and that in a short space of time — which fell victims to the 

 disorder. Horses that had been in the stables where the disorder raged 

 were sent to work under ground : there, also, the disorder soon after made 

 its appearance, for the first time. Our neighbours firmly believe it is conta- 

 gious. They took every precaution to prevent contagion, and the disease 

 left them. I was incredulous, and at that time we had not suffered. A 

 horse from their neighbourhood came to graze in some fields through which 

 some of our horses passed; he died of this disorder, and was left unburied. 

 From this moment the distemper began with us ; but not knowing the cir- 

 cumstance of the horse remaining unburied, I took no precaution to prevent 

 contagion. The valuable horse before mentioned was taken ill the next day, 

 and soon died. He had been at a neighbouring fair, and was left with a man 

 to hold while I did my business. I do not know that he had any commu- 

 nication with other horses, but suppose he must. The common farmers' 

 horses in this neighbourhood are all badly managed ; yet 1 have known 

 those who take proper care of their horses, who do not overwork them, and 

 even those who keep them at gi-ass, lose all their horses, when their less care- 

 ful neighbours lose none. I have known a man lose his whole stock twice in 

 one year. When I began to fear contagion, every horse that died of the 

 distemper was buried without being skinned. We have had no return these 

 five years." 



According to the observations of a surgeon who had many opportunities of 

 seeing the disease at Swansea, and examining the bodies of horses that died 

 of it, the symptoms of stomach staggers at that place are, heaviness, stupor, 

 laziness at work, swinging the head from side to side, or pushing it forward, 

 or resting It in the manger, but never turning It round, or drawing it back- 

 wards ; often standing for hours motionless, then slight twitches of the limbs 

 and other parts of the body ; they seem weak, too, and afraid of falling. 

 There Is a heaving of the flanks, the ears are cold, the eyes glassy : some 

 grow immediately stiff", and the jaw Is frequently locked ; some beat their 

 heads about, and kick out at everything, but are never observed to kick 

 their bellies, as In gripes. The first symptoms, beating the head against the 

 ground, or manger, increase ; they often force the nose through the bars of 

 the hay racks; the jaw becomes closely locked; they fiill ; the twitching 

 increases ; violent perspiration breaks out in some ; In others the skin Is dry 

 and tight, and the eyes open and staring, yet the horse appears to be blind. 

 He makes water frequently, Avhich Is forced out as if by a general spasm. 



Fatal Symptoms. — The coldness and stiffiiess of the whole body Inci-ease ; 

 the loins become extremely pinched in ; the eyes very glassy ; the jaws closely 

 locked ; and the dung very hard and dry. 



Symptoms of Recovery. — Very few recovered : In these the coldness of the 

 ears and body lessened ; the jaws became relaxed ; convulsions abated ; the 

 eye appeared more lively ; staling less frequent, and without appearance of 

 spasm. They attempted to eat and drink ; and the dung became moister and 

 of a light colour. Out of fourscore only four were supposed to have reco- 

 vered ; and one of these, on being turned out, ran round the field several 

 times, then fell and died. Another seemed to have been relieved by ptrofuse 

 bleeding. 



The disease is not discovered till the case is become desperate, and then It 

 usually kills In twenty or thirty hours. Almost every remeily has been tried ; 



