176 Diseases of the Horse. 



cbarbonous or anthracose disease, but is much less fatal in 

 horses than in cattle, sheep or swine, and presents various 

 other marked differences. 



Causes. — Purpura is found in old and broken down ani- 

 mals, and is especially apt to arise at the close of exhausting 

 diseases, as pneumonia, influenza, the epizootic, catarrhal 

 fever, etc. Its direct cause is nearly always from bad venti- 

 lation, imperfect drainage, and neglect of sanitary precautions. 

 \Yhen such precautions are properly taken, purpura is scarcely 

 ever seen. The absorption of the products of decomposition 

 into the body leads to a change in the blood, rendering it 

 fluid, and destroying its vitality, so that the walls of the ves- 

 sels soften and break down, and the blood flows into the sur- 

 rounding tissues, causing the dark spots characteristic of the 

 disease. 



Symptoms. — The animal is weak, languid and unwilling 

 to move. On examining his mouth, spots of a dard red or 

 mulberry color are visible on its lining membrane. The 

 tongue has a peculiar dark claret color. Sometimes there is 

 an oozing of blood from the nose and mouth, dark in color 

 and fetid in odor. There is swelling of the legs, lips and 

 other dependent parts, of a peculiar character ; it extends 

 perhaps the whole length of the limb, and ends at its upper 

 border very abruptly, as if a string had been tied around the 

 part. The swelling is painful, hot and hard. Around the 

 hock and fetlock joints small vesicles or blisters about the size 

 of a pea appear, which burst and discharge a scalding fluid ; and 

 around the bend of the limbs. cracks, and fissures are formed, 

 from which an unhealthy purple colored discharge flows. 

 Great swelling of the face, lips, nostrils and eyelids some- 

 times occurs. The skin over the swelling may ulcerate, caus- 

 ing unhealthy sores. 



The bowels are either c(^stipated or there is diarrhoea. 

 Colicky pains are apt to come on, and the feces to be mixed 



