MALARIAL FEVER. 453 



fever ; hence this disease is nearly allied to Indian malarial fever. 

 It is most prevalent during summer and autumn. " Imported 

 horses are more subject to it than Colonial bred. Horses which 

 are brought to the coast from the high inland districts, where the 

 disease is rarely met with, are alsio more susceptible to an attack 

 than those bred on the coast. I know of several farms Avhere 

 almost every strange horse which is brought there during the 

 summer or autumn months contracts the disease. Horses are 

 liable also to a second attack, but such horses in my experience 

 have been removed from the infected centre subsequent to the 

 first attack, and became reinfected on their return. Horses reared 

 continuously on the same farm do not contract the disease a second 

 time, and many horses, which are bred and reared on such farms, 

 do not become visibly affected with the disease at all " (Hutcheon). 



The disease is sudden in its attack. The horse is depressed, 

 breathing and pulse quickened, and temperature very high. The 

 loss of appetite is more or less dependent on the severity of the 

 symptoms, but there is almost always considerable thirst. The 

 lining membrane of the eyelids assumes a bright yellow colour, and 

 the mucous membrane of the lips become tinged with yellow ; 

 hence the name of " biliary fever." The bowels are constipated, 

 as a rule, and sometimes the animal suffers from colic. " Usually 

 the fever lasts from four to seven days, although some cases may 

 last much longer. In the great majority of oases that are properly 

 attended to and recover, the temperature usually begins to fall 

 on the third day, and the animal may be apparently all right by 

 the sixth day. In fatal cases, the temperature remains high, the 

 breathing becomes quicker and more distressing, and the general 

 uneasiness greater until the end; death may take place from 

 the fourth to the eighth day" (Hutcheon). We thus see that 

 equine malarial fever resembles human malarial fever, as regards 

 its acquired immunity and bilious symptoms, which appear to be 

 the result of the breaking up of the red corpuscles by the ma- 

 larial parasites. 



Under the heading, "An Un-named Disease in South Africa," 

 Mr. J. M. Lund, C.V.S., alludes apparently to South African ma- 

 larial fever, when describing ("Vet. Record," 14th Sept., 1901) a 

 disease which broke out in Mafeking during the hot weather, and 

 which proved fatal in many cases. Tlie chief symptoms were 

 great depression, quick thin pulse, high temperature, and " yellow- 

 ness of the visible mucous membranes, that of the eye being studded 

 with large purple blotches." Mr. Hoggan, C.V.S. (" Vet. Record," 

 12th Oct., 1901), met at Kroonstad several similar cases, in which 

 the purple blotches on the lining membrane of the eyelids was a 

 well-marked symptom. 



