64 Stable Management and the Prevention of Disease 



gradually drying in September and October. The mares 

 were kept by native farmers who were bad horse-masters, 

 and frequently fed them upon coarse indigestible, kinds of 

 grass cut from the beds of swamps. 



The disease usually came on very gradually, the first 

 symptom noticed being a loss of control over one hind-leg 

 when the mare was turning round after being trotted out at 

 the monthly inspection. In two, three, or four months after- 

 wards the animal was generally incapable of walking with- 

 out the hind-quarters staggering to one side or the other. 



Sometimes a horse will remain only slightly affected for 

 months or years, being even capable of slow harness-work ; 

 but usually it is advisable to destroy him within three or 

 four months at the furthest, after the appearance of the first 

 symptoms. Treatment is useless in the majority of cases. 

 The most common remedies, after giving a purgative, are 

 blistering or firing over the loins or along the course of the 

 spine, and the internal administration of strychnine, iodine, 

 sulphate of iron, chiretta, and remedies of that kind. The 

 compounds of iron might be useful in cases where the disease 

 is of parasitic origin — iron being poisonous to many of the lower 

 forms of animal life. Freshly ground nux vomica in doses of 

 about half a drachm has always appeared to me to produce a 

 better effect than strychnine. Blistering the loins repeatedly 

 seems beneficial in many instances ; and when the patient 

 rises with difficulty it is a good practice to put him in slings 

 of such a length that he can rest in them or stand, as he 

 pleases. The administration of iodide of potassium in alter- 

 nation with sulphate of iron has been followed by good 

 results in my practice, the iodine being given with a view of 

 promoting the absorption of any effased fluid which might be 

 pressing upon the spine or spinal nerves. 



The diet should be laxative and yet nutritious, consisting 

 of linseed boiled to a jelly and mixed with dry bran, fresh 

 green grass grown on well-drained land, green lucern, or 

 green wheat. Grain should be given only sparingly. If 

 oats, they should be crushed ; and if barley, it should be both 

 parched and crushed. Gram is not good in this disease, 



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