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TEE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



are probably susceptible to the disease. 

 Many cases of Strangles have, however, 

 been observed in aged animals, and a 

 point of particular interest is that this 

 disease, unlike so many diseases, is capable 

 of transmission to the foal while still in 

 titero, in which latter animal the character- 

 istic morbid appearances of the disease 

 have been often noticed. The onset of 

 the disease is easily mistaken for in- 

 fluenza, as the elevation of temperature 

 and physical depression are both marked. 

 Loss of appetite, sore throat, and short 

 dry cough may be noticed in the earlier 

 stages, but the disease generally comes 

 under observation in a more advanced 

 state when a large swelling between the 

 jaws, or under one or both ears, draws at- 

 tention to the fact that the horse is sick. 

 Often the " dirty nose " is the first 

 symptom to attract attention, but it may 

 be understood that from four to eight days 

 will have elapsed between the actual in- 

 fection and the first symptom noticeable 

 to the careful observer. If one puts the 

 period of incubation at a week it will be 

 about the average time which this disease 

 takes in manifesting itself. 



But little general treatment is necessary 

 in treating an uncomplicated case of 

 Strangles. Avoidance of exposure to 

 cold and wet, with the supply of small 

 quantities of soft, and tempting food, will 

 generally be all that is necessary. A 

 warm rug and bandages in cold weather 

 will be good treatment, particularly after 

 the sudden fall of temperature when ex- 

 haustion from fever and want of food is 

 most marked. 



Surgical assistance, however, may be of 

 great ttse in shortening the disease, and 

 oft-times will save an animal's life. The 

 plan of waiting for the swelling to attain 

 its maximum size, and become large and 

 soft before surgical interference, is a 

 mistake. Directly one is able to detect 

 " fiuctuation," or a sense of softening, in 

 the interior of the swelling, this latter 

 should be opened, as it will be found that 

 the animal's temperature will probably 

 fall as soon as the swelling or swellings 

 have been evactiated ; in this way a week 

 or more of the fever — with its heavy tax 

 upon the constitution — will be avoided. 

 The only precaution to be observed in 

 evacuating these abscesses is to make the 

 incision through the skin only (using a 



sharp penknife, guarded by the finger and 

 thumb, to within half-an-inch of its 

 point). The finger should then be used 

 to separate and tear down the tissue be- 

 tween the abscess and this outlet. The 

 earlier this operation is undertaken, the 

 less dependence we shall have to place 

 upon the knife. This method of evacua- 

 ting the abscess should be remembered 

 particularly when dealing with those 

 swellings which occur under the ear 

 (parotid region), as here more damage is 

 to be feared to important blood-vessels 

 and nerves by the use of a long or un- 

 guarded knife blade. A weak solution of 

 Carbolic Acid or Friar's Balsam should 

 be syringed into the wound if possible 

 daily, and the incision kept open until 

 the discharge has naturally ceased. 

 Fomentations, or the application of 

 blister, will help to induce the early 

 maturity of these swellings. 



The copious discharge which takes 

 place from the nose during the last stages 

 of this disease can be assisted by a regular 

 steaming of the head, using Creosote, 

 Eucalyptus, or Turpentine to medicate 

 the hot water. Few cases reqaire further 

 care, and other symptoms must be met as 

 they arise. The attempt to retard or 

 dissipate a forming abscess sometimes re- 

 sults in causing abscess-formation in other 

 parts of the system less accessible to treat- 

 ment, and in this way abscesses are 

 frequently formed at the entrance to the 

 chest, under the shoulder blade, or even 

 in the abdominal cavity, thereby greatly 

 increasing the lisk to the animal's life. 



One type of this disease is generally 

 looked upon as conferring immunity upon 

 an animal for the rest of its existence, and 

 this seems practically to be the case, 

 although second attacks are not unknown. 



The contagious nature of the disease 

 has long been recognised, and it is, there- 

 fore, not necessary to remind my readers 

 that young horses should be carefully 

 guarded against contact with other young 

 horses which appear to be suffering from 

 a " cold in the head," and also from 

 entering premises where the disease has 

 been known to exist. 



At a recent sale of Mr. Bowennan's Devons 

 at Gapton, Wilton, England, a good many 

 animals, at prices up to 150 guineas, were 

 l)ought for South Africa. 



