918 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



ashore, probably after a tedious and indefinite illness ; 

 many die without ever rallyin;. 



The disease is infectious, and due to an organism which 

 finds a congenial soil in the atmosphere of the horse deck. 

 Nor is the disease limited to decks below; we have seen 

 it in horses standing on the upper deck, though it is 

 possible the infection was conveyed to them from below. 



If these cases are to have any chance of recovery they 

 must be got up into the open air; but the disease is a most 

 heartbreaking one to deal with, and the mortality so high 

 that it leaves very little hope of success. 



Ship Staggers is also an unsatisfactory disease ; such 

 opportunities as we have had of examining the brain throw 

 no light on the ailection. We have known it occur in quite 

 moderate weather, though it is generally associated with 

 considerable motion of the ship ; it may be due to some 

 reflex action through the vagus owing to the inability of the 

 horse to vomit. The symptoms are very alarming, and 

 the horse dangerous to a degree. 



To get him out of his stall to an open hatch or under a 

 windsail is of the first importance ; but there are some cases 

 unable to rise, and so violent as to preclude this being done. 

 If the horse can be got out of his stall and put under the 

 cold air douche, the symptoms will abate, often in an 

 astonishing manner (Duck). 



Laminitis is a frequent disease on board, many cases 

 do not show it until they are being disembarked. It 

 is caused by standing in one position without a rest, 

 and is aggravated by the strain on the lamina during bad 

 weather. 



The Mortality among horses at sea is usually high. 

 Anything from 1 to 3 per cent, may be regularly looked 

 for from disease. In some cases it is much higher, even 

 10 per cent, from disease. If fittings give way during 

 bad weather the mortality from broken legs and other 

 injuries may be anything. 



The losses not only differ on various ships, but also 

 from different ports. Of 76,830 horses sent from England 



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