THE HORSE, ITS DISEASES. 327 



Causes. —Badly constructed and illy ventilated stables ; moving from a 

 ^arm to a cold climate ; exposure to cold and wet ; or any thing which 

 tends to lower the health in a predisposed animal will bring on the disease. 



How to Know it. — The disease may be acute, carrying off the animal, 

 sometimes, in a few weeks. It is generally chronic. The attack is insid<» 

 lous, tubercles often being formed before danger is suspected. There is 

 a general dullness and loss of spirit, tenderness of the withers, back, loins, 

 and of the walls of the chest. In cattle the nose will often be dry, show- 

 ing fever ; the ears and horns will be hot ; the skin loses its elasticity and 

 pliant quality. The heat of the body may go up to 102 degi*ees ; the 

 pulse is weak but accelerated, and there is a slight, dry, but not frequent 

 cough ; the lymphatic glands about the throat may be enlarged and there 

 may be swelling of the joints. If the chest is sounded there may be 

 heard a murmuring sound hoarser than natural, if it be listened for just 

 ovel the lower end of the wind pipe or in the chest. As the disease ad- 

 vances, the eyes become more and more smiken, the skin becomes more 

 and more hide bound, the hair is dry and erect. If the bowels are 

 involved there will be more or less scouring, and if the lungs are prin- 

 cipally affected there will be swelling and lameness, labored breathing, 

 exhaustion and profuse perspiration occurrmg uj)on the slightest exercise. 

 There will be temporary windy distention of the stomach after feeding, 

 and the appetite fails. The cough increases with rattling, the discharge 

 at first light, increases. There is crepitation (a rattling or snapping 

 «ound) of the lungs, with a whirring or gurgling of the chest, and percus- 

 sion gives a dull sound, with wincing when the parts covering them are 

 handled. So if tubercles are formed in the liver, pancreas, or kidneys it 

 will show the involvement of these parts. Recoveries are rare. Occasion- 

 ally calcification of the tubercles occurs in animals naturally of a strong 

 constitution, but the disease usually ends in death. 



What to do. — A cure is scarcely ever accomplished. The symptoms 

 may be mitigated. The animal must have dry, pure air, plenty of sun-, 

 shine, Summer and Winter, and be protected from sudden changes, and 

 must be kept warm. The food should be light and digestible, good grass 

 in Summer and ground food with linseed meal and roots in Winter. In 

 the early stages of the disease four to five drachms of gentian may be 

 given daily in the food, at two or three doses, alternated with two drachm* 

 of sulphate of iron as a tonic. As an expectorant, and diaphoretic, give 

 occasionally three to four ounces flowers of sulphur every other day, or 

 once in three days, or to act on the skin and as a diuretic, the following: 



JTo. 67. 2 Ounces of flowers of sulphur. 



2 To 3 three drachms powdered resm. 



