DISEASES OF THE HORSE 175 



nostrils and nasal chamber. There are two well-recognized 

 forms ; the acute and the chronic. Catarrh is often associated 

 with distemper. Acute catarrh comes on rather suddenly. 

 The animal appears dull. There is often a chill in the early- 

 stages, followed later by fever. The membrane is dry and 

 rather red. Soon a watery discharge flows from the nostrils, 

 the eyes may be affected and tears flow down the cheeks. 

 The discharge from the nostrils becomes thicker and pus-hke. 

 The bowels are often constipated. The cause is exposure to 

 cold and wet. The treatment is to give rest, provide comfort- 

 able quarters, blanket the animal, and feed laxative, easily 

 digested food, such as bran mashes, linseed gruel, and grass, if 

 in season. A few days' quiet rest, with pure air and good food, 

 will be of greater benefit than most medication. Give a table- 

 spoonful of saltpeter in the drinking water once daily. Often 

 much benefit can be derived from the inhalation of steam. 

 To do this throw a blanket over the horse's head, place under this 

 a pail of boiling water containing a tablespoonf ul of carbolic acid. 

 Chronic catarrh comes slowly ; in fact is usually due to some 

 other disease such as a cold, though there are other causes. 

 The animal appears much the same as in acute catarrh, the 

 discharge being thicker, often yellowish to white. It may be 

 discharged in lumps. In some cases it clogs, and the face may 

 bulge from the pressure of the pus inside. Occasionally the 

 parts become diseased and the pus cuts through and is dis- 

 charged to the outside. Sometimes there is a cough. The 

 treatment so far as rest and food is concerned is the same as 

 in acute cases. Give the horse a tonic. Steam the head. 

 After steaming spray the nostrils once daily with the following : 

 two drams of boric acid dissolved in one quart of warm water. 

 Occasionally the pus collects in one of the cavities, and it is neces- 

 sary to cut open and wash out the cavity. The boric acid solu- 

 tion makes a good wash for this purpose. This may greatly 

 hasten the ciu-e. 



