18 Roaring in Horses. 



treacle. Soon they were attacked with stertorous breathing 

 of a peculiar kind. The slightest exercise, continued for 

 only one or two minutes, would cause loud Roaring, and 

 the respiration became so disturbed that suffocation ap- 

 peared impending. One of them, indeed, fell, and continued 

 in a state of semi- asphyxiation for nearly half an hour ; 

 but the roaring generally ceased after a few minutes' rest. 

 In the interval between these attacks the horses were per- 

 fectly tranquil, respiration natural, and appetite unim- 

 paired. One horse was killed when the Roaring was most 

 violent, but nothing was found to account for the dis- 

 turbance on examination of the body. The other was 

 medically treated for two months, but did not recover, and 

 was destroyed during an access of Roaring. The result of 

 an autopsy was no more satisfactory than in the other case. 

 Verrier reports that of fifty-four omnibus horses in 

 Rouen, which had been fed for some time on this pea mixed 

 with oats, twenty-nine were affected. Of these, nine died 

 from asphyxia, after exhibiting symptoms of most violent 

 inspiratory dyspncea, and twenty remained Roarers. The 

 majority of the latter, however, manifested, in addition, 

 weakness and paralysis in other parts, and some of them 

 paraplegia. In those that died from asphyxia, acute 

 inflammation of the larynx was observed. Coster/ Kopp,^ 

 and others in Germany, have recorded similar accidents 

 with the chick-pea, lucerne, and vetch (Kidtererbse, 

 Luzerne, Wicken), especially when given green and in seed ; 

 but the most interesting cases of all are those described by 

 McCall^ and Leather,* as occurring in Glasgow and Liver- 

 pool. In these, on a post-mortem exrmination of the 

 horses which died, degeneration of the laryngeal muscles 

 and nerves was found. 



It may be noted that paralysis and other serious 



1 " Berlin Arcbiv," 1885. 



'^ '-Bulletin de la Socicte VeWrinaire d' Alsace," 18C8. 



3 " Veterinary Journal," 1886, pp. 337, 412. 



" Ibid., 1885, p. 233. 



