176 EPIDEJWC CATARRH. 



coihfortably warm, or at least the temperature is variable, and 

 there is not in the manner of the ammal, or in anyone symptom, 

 a decided reference to any particular part or spot, as the chief 

 seat of disease. 



Thus the malady proceeds for an uncertain period : ocrar 

 sjonally for several days — in not a few instances through the 

 whole of its course, and the animal dies e-xhausted by extensive 

 or general irritation : but in other cases the inflammation as- 

 sumes a local determination, and we have bronchitis or pneumo- 

 nia, but of no very acute character, yet difficult to treat, from the 

 general debility with which it is connected, yoraetimes there 

 are considerable swellings in various parts, as the chest, the belly, 

 the extremities, and particularly the head. The brain is occa- 

 sionally affected ; the horse grows stupid ; the cor junctiva is 

 alarmingly red ; the animal becomes gradually unconscious, and 

 delirium follows. A curious thickening, that may be mistaken 

 for severe sprain, is sometimes observed about the tendons. It is 

 seen under the knee or about- the fetlock. It is hot and tender, 

 and the lameness is considerable. The feet occasionally suffer 

 severely. There is a determination of fever to them far more vio 

 lent than the original disease, and separation of the laminiB and 

 descent of the sole ensue. 



The most decided character in this disease is debility. Not the 

 stiff, unwilling motion of the horse with pneumonia, and which 

 has been mistaken for debility — every muscle being needed for 

 the purposes of respiration, and therefore imperfectly used in lo- 

 comotion — ^but actual loss of power in the muscular system gen 

 erally. The horse staggers from the second day. He threatens 

 to fall if he is moved. He is sometimes down, permanently down, 

 on the third or fourth day. The emaciation is also occasionally 

 rapid and extreme. 



At length the medical treatment which has been employed 

 succeeds, or nature begins to rally. The cough somewhat sub- 

 sides ; the pulse assumes its natural standard ; the countenance 

 acquires a little more animation ; the horse will eat a small quan- 

 tity of some choice thing ; and health and strength slowly, veiy 

 slowly indeed, return : but at other times, when there has been 

 no decided change during the progress of the disease, no manage- 

 able change of inflammation while there was sufficient power left 

 in the constitution to struggle with it, a strange exasperation of 

 symptoms accompanies the closing scene. The extremities be- 

 come deathly cold ; the flanks heave ; the countenance betrays 

 greater distress ; the membrane of the nose is of an intense red , 

 and inflammation of the substance of the lungs, and congestioB 

 »nd death speedily follow. 



At other times the redness ^f the nostril suddenly disappears ; 



