474 GENERAL DISEASES. 



which was found to be affected in April, 1901, was examined by 

 him on the 5th of the following July, and was so vigorous that at 

 first she could not be caught, " so she was run in the paddock, 

 and at the end of ten minutes she was so distressed (the breathing 

 could be heard at a distance of 200 yards) that she could be 

 approached to be shot." This extreme distress in breathing, 

 caused by slight exertion, in the case of an animal wliicli appears 

 to be in a normal condition when at rest, seems to be one of the 

 most prominent peculiarities of this disease. 



Two other peculiarities are the spasmodic nature of the attacks 

 of distress of breathing, and the attempts made to breathe through 

 the mouth, by the patient lying or throwing itself down on the 

 ground, extending its head, and rolling, as if in colic. The 

 following report lucidly describes what is meant : — " When on the 

 ground her mouth was open and her nose thrown upwards to the 

 side to allow extra air to reach the lungs by mouth breathing ; the 

 tongue and lips were of a livid colour, while brown frothy mucus 

 escaped from the nose and mouth. Mouth breathing, on account of 

 the anatomical configuration of the throat, is impossible while the 

 horse stands erect. When the animal is placed on its back, or when 

 lying on its side with its nose raised, it is possible for breathing to 

 take place through the mouth. . . . For ten minutes this 

 animal rolled over and over, as if in violent pain from colic. The 

 chest, ears, abdomen, and inside of the thighs were covered with 

 sweat. At the end of ten minutes she got on to her feet with an 

 efibrt, staggered, and threw herself down, and rolled over and over 

 gasping for breath. The respirations were 40 per minute. At 

 15 minutes after falling, the nose was still raised from the gromid 

 while lying on her side, and breathing was being performed by 

 the mouth as well as by the nostrils. At this stage the colicky 

 symptoms had passed off, and it was possible to approach her 

 for examination. The inspirations were found to be longer than 

 tlje expirations. For an hour this animal stood up and lay 

 down alternately, and then appeared in a normal condition, while 

 the respirations, which were 40 when she fell, had decreased to 

 24." In South African -horse-siokness, these symptoms of rolling 

 on the ground, colic, hurried breathing, and mouth breathing, 

 with return to normal conditions in a brief space of time, are 

 not seen. 



It appears from post-mortem examinations that the lungs are 

 the only organs which are affected in this disease. Consequently 

 the spleen is not enlarged and congested, as is usually the case in 

 "horse-sickness" (p. 471). Theie is always also dark tarry blood 

 in the lungs. This tarry condition of the blood is not seen in 

 South African cases (p. 470). Also " brown froth " escapes from 



