BOUKINE. 513 



unable to cover, and affected mares miscarry, if they are in foal. 

 In the acute foiin, sudden paralysis sets in after the primary 

 swellings, and death ensues in a few days. 



Third iJeriod. — ^In both stallion and mare, the general symp- 

 toms may develop only after several weeks or even months, 

 and may defer their appearance until the local symptoms have 

 passed off. The first general symptoms are those of depression 

 and weakness, and inability to control the movements of the 

 limbs, especially those of the hind ones. Emaciation and 

 symptoms of paralysis become more and more pronounced until 

 the animal is no longer able to get up off the ground and dies 

 from exhaustion, blood jDoisoning, or inflammation of the lungs. 



POST-MORTEM APPEARANCES.— We find in various parts, 

 infiltration of serous fluid and softening, especially in the testicles 

 and spinal canal. 



DISTINGUISHING DIAGNOSIS.— The only disease for which 

 dourine may be easily mistaken, is an inflammation of the skin and 

 mucous membranes which is known to veterinary surgeons as 

 vesicular exanthema, and which somewhat closely resembles horse- 

 pox. The benign character of the complaint and absence of con- 

 stitutional disturbance will distinguish either vesicular exanthema 

 or horse-pox from dourine. 



TREATMENT, to have any chance of success, should be under- 

 taken in the very earliest stage of the disease. We may fre- 

 quently apply to the sore j^arts some suitable antiseptic lotion, 

 such as creolin or carbolic acid (p. 67). Lingard's treatment of 

 surra by arsenic (p. 459) should be tried. 



Opinions are divided as to the efficacy of castration as a means 

 of cure. 



SANITARY MEASURES.— Owing to the insidious nature of the 

 disease, and the small chance of effecting a cure, it is advisable 

 in most cases to destroy the animal ; although we might try 

 castration in the case of a stallion which was but slightly aft'ected. 

 An animal that has once manifested the disease should on no 

 account be again used for breeding purposes; because, not un- 

 frequently, apparent recovery takes place in animals in which 

 the seeds of the disease remain dormant for the time being, only 

 to develop later on with renewed vigour. The literature of the 

 subject gives us many instances of the use of an apparently 

 recovered stallion being the cause of the wide dissemination of 

 dourine. 



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