534 GENERAL DISEASES. 



SYMPTOMS. — The attack usually comes on during the second or 

 third week after birth, and almost always before the closure of the 

 navel oiDening, which, in affected animals, will be found to be in a 

 wet and supi3urating condition. Occasionally, foals two or three 

 months old, which have the urachus closed, and are in an apparently 

 healthy condition, contract this disease, in the form of painful 

 swelling of the joints. 



The first symptoms are generally dulness; more or less fever; 

 lameness, which is often attributed to rheumatism or to injury 

 caused by the mare treading on the foal ; and disinclination to move 

 or even to stand. On examination, the patient will be found to have 

 a soft, gelatinous swelling of one or more of the joints, of which the 

 hock, stifle, elbow, fetlock and hip usually manifest the enlargement 

 most clearly. These swellings are hot and painful to the touch, 

 they tend to suppurate, and frequently cause intense lameness. In 

 very rare cases, open urachus may occur without any joint inflamma- 

 tion. In this disease, inflammation of the joints and open urachus 

 are almost always co-existent. 



Animals which recover from a bad attack, are seldom worth the 

 trouble of rearing, because, as a rule, their constitutions become 

 permanently impaired, and one or more of their joints become 

 stiffened by the attack. 



COURSE AND POST-MORTEM APPEARANCES.— The course 

 of this disease is that of septicaemia and pyaemia (p. 532), in which 

 the local inflammation in the various tissues and organs is j^roductive 

 of abscesses, and consequent destructive action in the surrounding 

 parts, as, for instance, in joints, tendons, muscles, and in the liver. 

 In fatal cases, there is rapid loss of strength and condition, and the 

 disease runs its course in about ten days. 



TREATMENT. — In the treatment of this disease, we have to at- 

 tend to the constitutional disturbance, inflamed joints, open 

 urachus, and complications, such as constipation and diarrhoea. 



As constitutional treatment, we may give ^ drachm of quinine 

 (p. 623), twice a day; and also, 2 drachms of Fellow's syrup and a 

 tablespoonful of cod liver oil in half a pint of milk, morning and 

 evening. A German veterinary siu-geon, Herr Gott, strongly recom- 

 mends the injection, into the jugular vein (p. 636), of 3 oz. of a 

 J per cent, solution of argentum coUoidale, Crede, every day for 

 three or four days. The quantity of this soluble form of silver thus 

 given, is about 6J grains. 



As a supplement to the food, we may give brown sugar or treacle, 

 both of which are easily digested, and are very nourishing. Four 

 or five eggs daily will also aid in keeping up the strength. 



Mr. Wm. Toppin Hewetson, M.R.C.V.S. ("Veterinary Record," 



