150 THE HORSE. 



discharge from the nostril, of a yellowish colour, mixed with matter, 

 but irenerally without smell; and likewise a considerable discharge of ropy 

 fluid'' from the mouth, and greater swelling than usual under the throat. 

 This swelling increases with uncertain rapidity, accompanied by some fever, 

 and disinclination to eat, partly arising from the fever, but more from the pain 

 -the animal feels in the act of chewing. There is considerable thirst ; but after 

 a gulp or two, the horse ceases to drink, yet is evidently desirous of more. 

 In' the attempt to swallow, and sometimes when not drinking, a convulsive 

 cough comes on, which almost threatens to suffocate the animal, and thence 

 probably the name of the disease. The tumour is about the centre of the 

 channel under the jaw, it soon fills the whole of the space, and is evidently 

 one uniform body, and may thus be distinguished from glanders, or the 

 enlarged glands of catarrh. At length the centre of it becomes more pro- 

 minent and softer, and it evidently contains a fluid. This rapidly increases, 

 the tumour bursts, and a great quantity of pus is discharged. As soon as 

 the tumour has broken, the cough subsides, and the horse speedily mends, 

 although some degree of weakness may hang about him for a considerable 



time. 



Ofthe cause of the disease we can say but little. Few horses, pos- 

 sibly none, escape its attack ; but, that attack having passed over, the animal 

 is free from it for the remainder of his life. Catarrh may precede, or may 

 predispose to the attack, and undoubtedly the state of the atmosphere has 

 much to do with it, for both its prevalence and its severity are cormected 

 with certain seasons of the year and changes of the weather. There is no 

 preventive for the disease, nor do we believe that there is any thing conta- 

 gious in it. There are strange stories told with regard to this ; but the expla- 

 nation of the matter is, that when several horses in the same farm or in 

 the same neighbourhood have had strangles at the same time, they have 

 been exposed to the same powerful but unknown exciting cause. 



The treatment of strangles is very simple. As the essence of the disease 

 consists in the formation and suppuration of the tumom* under the jaw, 

 the principal, or almost the sole attention of the practitioner should be 

 directed to the hastening of these processes : therefore, as soon as the 

 tumour of strangles evidently appears, the part should be actively blis- 

 tered. Old practitioners used to recommend poultices ; which, from the 

 thickness of the horse's skin, must have very little etiect, even if they could 

 be confined on the part ; and from the difficulty and almost impossibility 

 of this, and their getting cold and hard, they must weaken the energies of 

 nature, and delay the ripening of the tumour. Fomentations are little more 

 effectual. A blister will not only secure the completion of the process, but 

 hasten it by many days, and save the patient much pain and exhaustion^ 

 and it will produce another good eHect— it will, previous to the opening 

 of the tumour, abate the internal inflammation and soreness of the throat, 

 and thus lessen the cough and wheezing. 



As soon as the swelling is soft on the top, and evidently contains 

 matter, it should be deeply and freely lanced. It is a bad, although fre- 

 quent practice, to suffer the tumour to burst naturally, by which a ragged 

 ulcer is formed, very slow to heal, and difficult of treatment. If the incision 

 is deep and large enough, no second collection of matter will be formed : 

 and that which is already formed may be suffered to run out slowly, all 

 pressure with the fingers being avoided. The part should be kept clean, 

 and a little friar's balsam daily injected into the wound. 



The remainder of the treatment will depend on the symptoms. If there 

 is much fever, and evident affection of the chest, and which should care- 



