COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 247 



Until 1912 and 1913 no serious outbreak had occurred in the 

 United States since 1901 . In June, 1912, the disease was diagnosed 

 in Montana. It proved to be so extensive that on February 23, 

 1914, Congress granted $100,000, or as much thereof as would be 

 needed, to investigate, treat, and eradicate it. 



At last report 1168 cases had been pronounced infected by the 

 aid of the complement-fixation test. Of these 932 were mares, 222 

 stallions, 7 geldings, and 7 jacks. 



Symptoms. — There are many variations in the symptoms of 

 dourine, so it is impossible to describe a single case and at the 

 same time convey a good idea of the disease. Among the usual 

 symptoms in the stallion are an irritation and swelling about the 

 penis and soreness of the glands in the groin. Soon vesicles appear 

 and break, leaving irregular raw ulcers, which heal rapidly but leave 

 permanent white scars. In the mare somewhat similar symptoms 

 occur. 



The disease has a course running from nine months to two 

 years, so is a typical chronic affection. 



Now and then a case of dourine recovers, but the prognosis is 

 unfavorable. European investigators say 70 per cent. die. 



Treatment. — Medical treatment is of little benefit. Infected 

 horses must be excluded from breeding, and had best be immedi- 

 ately destroyed to prevent communicating the disease to others 

 of their kind. 



ANTHRAX 



Anthrax is an infection due to the anthrax bacillus. It may 

 attack the horse, but more often other species of the domestic 

 animals are infected. The germ is found in the soil, on the forage, 

 and in the water of stagnant pools, where it may exist in the spore 

 form for many months. It gains entrance to the body through the 

 digestive or respiratory tracts or through wounds. 



Anthrax in the horse is most commonly met with as a subacute, 

 febrile disease. The chief symptoms are fever, prostration, drow- 

 siness, staggering gait, convulsions, and death. When infection 

 occurs in the skin carbuncular swellings develop. 



A postmortem examination shows a tar-like blood, greatly 

 enlarged spleen, congested lymphatic glands, and blood extrav- 

 asates throughout the body. The disease is positively identified 

 by making a microscopic examination of the blood, in which large 



