572 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
stimulating peristalsis of the bowels, which, as a result of the disease, 
show a tendency to become torpid during the fever. Purgatives, 
on account of their debilitating effect, should not be given unless 
absolutely necessary, but laxatives and easily digested feeds should 
be given instead. Not infrequently a dirty yellowish tinge of the 
visible mucous membranes has been observed, in which cases 20 
grains of calomel in from 2 to 4 drams of aloes in a ball, or 2-dram 
doses of fluid extract of podophyllin, may be given. Following the 
subsidence of the fever, a tonic should be administered, composed. of 
the following drugs in combination : 
Arsenious: (ACiG == 220-5 - ern ee ae er ee -grams__ ‘2 
Powdered nux vomica : do__-__ 28 
Powdered cinchona bark i? do 85 
Powdered gentian root do____ 110 
These should be well mixed and one-half teaspoonful given to the 
affected animal at each feed. 
As in the case of all other infectious diseases, the healthy should 
be separated from the sick horses and thorough disinfection of the 
infected stables, stalls, litter, and stable utensils should be carried out 
in order to prevent the recurrence of the disease. As a disinfectant 
the compound solution of cresol, carbolic acid, or chlorid of lime 
may be used, by mixing 6 ounces of any one of these chemicals with 
1 gallon of water. One of the approved coal-tar sheep dips may also 
“be used to advantage i in a 5 per cent solution (6 ounces of dip to 1 
gallon of water). The disinfectant solution should be applied lib- 
erally to all parts of the stable, and sufficient lime may be added to 
the solution to make the disinfected area conspicious. 
Investigations are now in progress with a view of producing a 
vaccine or serum that will protect horses that have been exposed 
to the disease, 
SURRA. 
By CH. WaRDELL STILES, PH. D. 
Professor of Zoology, United States Public Health Service. 
Surra is not known to occur in the United States, but it is more or 
less common in the Philippine Islands and India. It is caused by 
a microscopic, flagellate animal parasite, known as Trypanosoma 
evansi, 20 to 34 » long by 1 to 2 uw broad, which lives in the blood 
and destroys the red blood corpuscles. In general the disease is very 
similar to and belongs in the same general class with tsetse-fly dis- 
ease, or nagana, of Africa and mal de caderas, of South America. 
Surra is a wet-weather disease, occurring chiefly during or imme- 
diately after heavy rainfalls, floods, or inundations. 
Surra attacks especially horses, asses, and mules, but it may occur 
in carabao, camels, elephants, cats, and dogs, and has been trans- 
