PORT PIRTE HORSE DISEASE. 487 



configuration of the throat, is impossible while the horse stands 

 erect. When the animal is placed on its back, or when lying on 

 its side with its nose raised, it is possible for breathing to take 

 place through the mouth. . . . For ten minutes this animal 

 rolled over and over, as if in violent pain from colic. The chest, 

 ears, abdomen, and inside of the thighs were covered with sweat. 

 At the end of ten minutes she got on to her feet with an effort, 

 staggered, and threw herself down, and rolled over and over 

 gasping for breath. The respirations were 40 per minute. At 

 15 minutes after falling, the nose was still raised from the 

 ground while lying on her side, and breathing was being per- 

 formed by the mouth as well as by the nostrils. At this stage 

 the colicky symptoms had passed off, and it was possible to 

 approach her for examination. The inspirations were found to be 

 longer than the expirations. For an hour this animal stood up 

 and laid down a,lternately, and then appeared in a normal con- 

 dition, while the respirations which were 40 when she fell, had 

 decreased to 24." In South African horse-sickness, these 

 symptoms of rolling on the ground, colic, hurried breathing, 

 and mouth breathing, with return to normal conditions in a 

 brief space of time, are not seen. 



It appears from the post-mortem examinations made by Veterin- 

 ary Surgeon Desmond that the lungs are the only organs which are 

 affected in this disease. Consequently the spleen is not enlarged 

 and congested, as is usually the case in " horse sickness " (p. 484). 

 Also, Veterinary Surgeon Desmond states that there is always dark 

 tarry blood in the lungs. This tarry condition of the blood is not 

 seen in South African cases (p. 483). He further tells us that 

 " brown froth " escapes from the nostrils, and is found in the 

 windpipe, bronchial tubes, and lungs ; but no mention is made ot 

 the cloud of white foam (p. 483), or of the discharge of straw- 

 coloured blood seinim (p. 478). Dr. Ramsay Smith tells me that 

 the presence of coagulated serum between the lobules of the lungs 

 (which is seen in Cape horse-sickness, p. 484) is a prominent, 

 constant and characteristic post-mortem appearance in the Port 

 Pirie disease. 



In the Port Pirie disease, the superficial veins of the gums of 

 the upper front teeth are congested and stand out prominently. 



As numerous aneurisms caused by a thread-worm (said to be the 

 strongylus armatus) were found in the abdominal arteries of affected 

 horses, Dr. Ramsay Smith wisely considers that the question of 

 their possible connection with this disease should be investigated. 

 He is of course aware that the strongylus nrmatns and its resulting 

 aneurisms are met with in other parts of Australia and in other 

 parts of the world, where their presence in horses does not give 



