f f' 



DISEASES AND INJURIES. 189 



and skill are needed than are possessed by the amateur, how- 

 ever well read he may be in veterinary books ; so that, in 

 order to avert loss and damage, it is the wisest course to in- 

 voke professional aid without delay, resorting to such measures 

 as may be deemed appropriate until its arrival. 



In the limited space at our disposal, only a few of the more 

 frequent diseases and accidents can be referred to, and these 

 briefly. 



Fever. 



Symptoms. Fever is a condition of the body in which the 

 temperature is higher than in health. The ordinary tempera- 

 ture of the horse's body what is termed the internal tem- 

 perature is about 1 00 Fahrenheit. It is best ascertained 

 by the self-registering thermometer, which is inserted into 

 the rectum and kept there for a minute or so. When this 

 temperature rises above 101, fever is present ; if it reaches 

 104, then the fever is somewhat serious, and when it gets to 

 1 06 it is very severe. In proportion to its height the horse 

 becomes wasted and debilitated. 



The pulse, which is usually 38 or 40 beats a minute, and 

 is best felt on the inner side of the lower jaw, is correspond- 

 ingly increased, and the beats may reach 60, 80, or even 

 100 per minute, though when it is over 80 the fever may be 

 said to be high. The breathing is also quickened, the number 

 of respirations which are about 8 per minute in health in- 

 creasing in a corresponding manner with the pulse. Coinci- 

 dently with these phenomena the skin is dry and hot, though 

 exceptionally it may be wet with perspiration ; the mouth is 

 also dry, hot and pasty when the finger is passed into it, and 

 it generally has the odour of indigestion. The appetite is 

 either much diminished or lost, and though the horse may 

 drink a good deal of water, the urine may be less in quantity 

 and high coloured. Sometimes the breath feels very warm, 

 and the eyelids are swollen, with perhaps tears running down 

 the face; in certain cases the horse is somewhat excited, in 

 others he is listless, apathetic and depressed. 



