328 THE HORSE. 



Should the disease extend to the bronchia] tubes, or substance 

 of the lungs, the treatment for bronchitis or pneumonia must be 

 adopted. 



The stable should be kept cool, taking care to make up for the 

 difference in temperature by putting on an extra rug; water should 

 be allowed ml libitum, and no corn should be given. 



Sometimes the discharge becomes chronic, and it is then known 

 by the name <o mi. 



INFLUENZA, OR DISTEMPER.* 



Tins MAY BE CONSIDERED To BE an epidemic catarrh, but the 

 symptoms are generally more severe ami leave greater prostration 

 of strength behind them. They also require more careful treat- 

 ment, which must be specially adapted to the attack, for remedies 

 which will arrest the disease in one year will totally fail the next 

 time that the epidemic prevails. The fever of late years has had 

 a tendency to put on the typhoid type, and bleeding, which for- 

 merly was often beneficial, is now completely forbidden. The symp- 

 toms are at first similar to those already described as pertaining to 

 common catarrh, but after a few days the accompanying fever is 

 more severe than usual, and docs not abate at the customary period. 

 The appetite is altogether lost, and the appearance of the patient 

 is characteristic of severe disease rather than of a. trifling cold. It 

 is. however, chiefly from the fact that a number of horses arc seized 

 with similar symptoms, cither at the same time or rapidly follow- 

 ing one another, that the disease is recognised. It usually prevails 

 in the spring of the year, or in a wet and unhealthy autumn. 

 Sometimes almost every case runs on to pneumonia, at others the 

 bronchial mucous membrane alone is attacked ; but in all there is 

 extreme debility in proportion to the apparent nature of the disease. 

 The ordinary appearances exhibited in recent epidemics have been 

 as follows : — The first thing observed is a general slight shivering, 

 accompanied by a staring coat. The pulse is weak, and slightly 

 accelerated, but not to any great extent ; the mouth feels hot"; the 

 eyes and the nostrils arc red; the belly is tucked up; there is no 

 appetite ; cough, to a varying extent, begins to show itself; and 

 there is generally a heaving of the flanks. The legs and feet are 

 not cold a.- in pneumonia, but beyond this they afford no positive 

 signs. The: cellular membrane around the eyes, and of the legs, 

 generally swells about the second day, and often the head and 

 limbs become quite shapeless from this cause. In the early stage 

 the bowels are often relaxed, but afterwards they arc as frequently 

 confined. Sore throat is a very common complication, but it is not 

 by any means an invariable attendant en influenza. It is, however, 



* Choking Distemper— so called— will lie found treated of under the 

 name of Typhoid Fever in note to chapter on fever... — Editor. 



