171 



INFLUENZA, 



fortunately, is hardly know in India ;* but severe 

 colds and sore-throats are not uncommon, both in the 

 hot and cold weather ; and if these were properly at- 

 tended to and taken care of at their commencement, 

 and the horse, on recovering, neither over-fed, nor 

 allowed to drink too much gruel, which often brings 

 back the complaint in all its force, requiring a second 

 bleeding, added to the greatest care, to save him from 

 danger, we perhaps should see nothing resembling it. 

 The real epidemic may, however, some day be trans- 

 ported here : it is said to be very infectious, and that 

 when it does visit a neighbourhood, many cases will 

 occur about the same time. 



Symptoms. At the commencement of the disease, 

 the coat is a little rough, the breathing somewhat 

 hurried, the eyes inflamed, and the throat sore ; hence, 

 the swallowing is difficult, the food and water being 

 sometimes returned through the nostrils : a discharge 

 also takes place from them, as well as from the mouth, 

 and the legs are swollen. Fever is present, and great 

 weakness. The pulse varies, being in some patients 

 only fifty ; and in others, ninety ; depending on the 

 degree of fever. 



Treatmeiit. If the pulse is full or wiry, and above 

 fifty-five, and the membrane inside the nostril red, 

 bleed three quarts ;t \ and if the dung is hard, give 



* So far from this being the case on this side of India, it appears almost 

 yearly in an epidemic form. I have repeatedly, year after year, had from two 

 to three hundred on my sick list with this disease. ED. 



t See "BLEEDING," p. 62. 



t Bleeding ought to be resorted to with great caution, unless the horse is in 

 high condition, and the inflammatory symptoms run high, it is likely to do more 



