SOABLATINA. 181 



CoNTAfliouSNESS. — With respect to Scarlet Pever in the 

 horse being contagious, I, for my part, am of opinion that it is 

 not. I have treated more than sixty cases of it, but I never 

 yet treated two cases in the same stable, either at the same 

 time or at any distant interval. The case of the foal which I 

 have mentioned was a most severe one ; and during the whole 

 period of its illness, which was a little over three weeks, it had 

 free access to its dam, and the foal partook of her mUk freely 

 at the commencement, but the mare was never in the least 

 disordered. The foal had also free access to other horses, but 

 none of them were disordered in consequence.* 



Teeatmbnt. — The extensive practice which I have had in 

 the treatment of this disease has led me to the conviction that 

 the more simple the methods pursued, the more likely is the 

 practitioner to succeed in its cure. Everything which can be 

 done should be done to support the vital power of the patient, 

 and allay the morhid irritation excited hy the disease. 



The following are to be regarded as essentials towards 

 effecting this : I. — Thorough ventilation of the stable or loose 



* I have been led to make the ahove observations from reading a note 

 which is appended to an article in Dr. Copland's Medical Dictionary, where 

 the Doctor says that he has evidence for the following inferences : — First, — 

 That Scarlatina was originally a disease of the horse ; and that it formerly 

 occurred, and has even recently occurred, epidemically, or as an epizooty 

 among horses. Secondly, — That it was communicated in comparatively 

 modem times from horses to man. Thirdly, — That it may be, and has been 

 communicated also to the dog. And further on, he adds, that Mr. Percival 

 has furnished him with an additional amount of evidence in support of the 

 above inferences. Now, with all due deference to the above statements, I 

 can only say that I have furnished, up to the present period, the most com- 

 plete history of Scarlatina in the horse which is extant ; that I have paid, 

 at all times, the most careful attention to its phases and conditions in the 

 above named animal ; and that I never yet became acquainted with one 

 sohtary fact which would give the least support to the second and third infe- 

 rences. See Dr. Copland's Medical Dictionary, — article Skin. 



