496 



formation of an abscess in some part of tlie abdominal cavity, usually 

 in the mesentery. 



Pathology. — The lesions of strangles are found on the surface of the 

 mucous membranes, essentially of the respiratory system and in the 

 loose connective tissue libers of the internal organs and glands, and 

 consist of acute inflammatory changes, tending to the formation of 

 matter. The blood is unaltered, though it is rich in fibrine, and if the 

 animal has died of asphyxia it is found dark colored and uncoagulated 

 when the body is first opened. If the animal has died while suffering 

 from high fever the ordinary alterations throughout the body, which 

 are produced by any fever not attended by alteration of blood, are 

 found. 



Treatment. — Ordinary light cases require but little treatment beyond 

 diet, warm washes, moistened hay, warm coverings, and protection from 

 exposure to cold. The latter is urgently called for, as lung complica- 

 tions, severe bronchitis, and laryngitis are often the results of neglect 

 of this precaution. If the fever is excessive the horse may receive small 

 quantities of Glauber salts (handful three times a day), as a laxative, 

 bicarbonate of soda or niter in dram doses every few hours, and small 

 doses of antimony, iodide of potash, aconite, or quinine. Steaming the 

 head with the vapor of warm water poured over a bucket of bran and 

 hay, in which belladonna leaves or tar have been placed, will allay the 

 inflammation of the raucous membranes and greatly ease the cough. 



The swelling of the glands should be promptly treated by bathing 

 with warm water and flaxseed poultices, and as soon as there is any 

 evidence of the formation of matter it should be opened. Prompt action 

 in this will often save serious complications. Blisters and irritating 

 liniments should not be applied to the throat. When lung complica- 

 tions show themselves the horse should have mustard applied to the 

 belly and to the sides of the chest. When convalescence begins great 

 care must be taken not to expose the animal to cold, which may bring 

 on relapses, and while exercise is of great advantage it must not be 

 turned into work until the animal has entirely regained its strength. 



SCALMA. 



The differentiation of the various diseases which have popularly been 

 included under the terms of distemper and influenza up to a comparatively 

 recent date, has been so slow and so tardily accepted by the majority 

 of practitioners that we have been subjected to constantly seeing an- 

 nounced and heralded as news in the daily papers the appearance of 

 some new disease. These new diseases of the populace and of the em- 

 piric are to us but the epizootic outbreak or the more severely mani- 

 fested form of some ordinary contagious disease. We treat several 

 cases of different troubles in the same stable without having the time 

 or seeing the necessity of explaining them to the owner, when suddenly 

 one of them spreads to the rest of the stable in an epizootic form, and 



