OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 155 



with the serum of the kine vesicles in 1796. He met with such 

 success that he announced his discovery to the world in 1798. 

 Vaccination was introduced into America in 1 800. It has proved 

 so successful that the adoption of it has become world wide. 



The specific cause of variola has never been found. 



Etiology. — There is nothing known about the cause of pox. 

 The disease has proved to be of a specific nature, and is more 

 than likely due to some germ, but the causal agent has not yet 

 been demonstrated. 



Course. — Variola equina runs through four well defined 

 stages, pimple, vesicle, pustule and scab. The pimple stage is 

 short, about 24 hours. The vesicles contain serum which is thin, 

 clear and transparent. About the second day it begins to get 

 cloudy and the fourth day pustules form. Coagulation of the 

 lymph and drying of the skin make the scab. This desquamates 

 about the 21st day, leaving an oval shallow circular red pit. 

 Equine variola usually attacks the mouth first, then spreads over 

 the lips, cheeks, neck and shoulders and continues down the legs. 

 Contagious stomatitis may be a form of variola. In case of in- 

 fection from stomatitis use continuous applications of a 2 per 

 cent solution of formaldehyde. 



Treatmeni. — Wash the mouth wath potassium chlorate, or so- 

 dium biborate solution. Keep a special watering bucket for the 

 animal and keep him separate from the other animals. Thor- 

 oughly disinfect the stable after recovery. 



Sheep sometimes die from variola. 



Occasionally equine variola is enzootic. In such a case horses 

 become infected after being fed or watered from contaminated 

 food or water. In 1877 an outbreak occurred in ^Montreal and 

 the stable men in several places contracted the disease. 



ANTHRAX. 



Anthrax has various dififerent names. The French call it 

 Charhon; the Germans, Mihbrand ; other names are Splenic fever, 

 Woolsorte/s disease. Putrid fever, Petaechial typhus; in East 

 India it is called Loodiana disease, in South Africa, Horse sick- 

 ness, in the Highlands of Scotland it is called Braxy. Some 

 writers call it contagions carbuncle. In the human subject, when 



