500 



Ijnnphatic and more common ones. It is more severe than the other 

 epizootic diseases, and its contagiousness is much greater than in the 

 otliers. 



The fatal issue of influenza varies in different epizootics ; where the 

 disease is occurring only in scattered cases through a large town or 

 count ly locality, and in some epizootics, the majoritj'^ of the cases run 

 a mild form without complications; at other times, where the disease 

 occurs in enzootic and epizootic form, we find over 50 per cent of the 

 cases complicated by disease of the lungs; in others a large number 

 of cases are complicated by trouble of the intestines. 



Alterations. — The alteration of influenza occurs in the blood, and 

 consists of a rajjid destruction of the red blood corpuscles, which are 

 the carriers of oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. The 

 animal is always found emaciated. The tissues throughout the body 

 are found stained, and of a more or less yellowish hue, due to the dis- 

 integrated blood corpuscles which Were at first the cause of the char- 

 acterized discoloration of the mucous membranes in the living animal. 

 There is always found a congested condition of all the organs, muscles, 

 and interstitial tissues of the body. The coverings of the brain and 

 spinal cord partake in the congested and discolored condition of the 

 rest of the tissues. 



Other alterations are dependent entirely upon the complications. 

 If the lungs have been affected, we find effusions identical in their 

 intimate nature with those of simple pneumonia, but they differ some- 

 what in their general appearance in not being so circumscribed in 

 their area of invasion. Complication of the intestines offers the red, 

 puff}^ swollen, or congested appearance which we have in an ordinary 

 enteritis, with peeling from the surface of the membranes of the intes- 

 tinal tube. The alterations of meningitis and laminitis are identical 

 with those of sporadic cases of founder and inflammation of the brain. 



Treatment. — While the appetite remains the patient should have a 

 moderate quantity of sound hay, good oats, and bran ; or even a little 

 fresh clover, if obtainable, can be given in small quantities. With 

 the first decided symptoms of fever the antipyretics are indicated, of 

 which we have a variable choice. Bleeding in this disease is a ques- 

 tionable treatment, and is only to be employed at the very outset of 

 the disease. In large, strong horses of a sanguinarj^ temperament an 

 abstraction of a few quarts of blood will frequently diminish the 

 stupefaction, lower the temperature, slow the pulse and respiration, 

 and render the course of the disease shorter by twelve or twenty-four 

 hours. In some cases, however, bleeding seems to increase the 

 amount of depression, and it should never be used after the deep 

 ocher color of the mucous membranes shows that an extensive disin- 

 tegration of the blood corpuscles has taken place. Derivatives in the 

 form of essential oils and mustard poultices, baths of alcohol, turi^en- 

 tine, and hot water, after which the animal must be immediately dried 



