Hereditary Diseases of Horses, 



127 



matter in the lungs ; at first soft and cheesy, or gluey and fibri- 

 nous, and becoming, after a time, hard and gritty, but always 

 unorganisable. Its symptoms are irritation of the mucous lining 

 of the bronchia and lungs, as evidenced by cough ; occasional 

 febrile symptoms, wasting, and debility, which, in bad cases, sets 

 in early, and is so excessive as speedily to destroy life. We 

 have treated very briefly of tabes mesenterica and of consumption 

 in horses, because we shall have to return to them when speaking 

 of the hereditary diseases of cattle, in which they are more 

 common than in the horse. 



These are the most common forms in which a scrofulous 

 diathesis shows itself, but there are other irregular forms which 

 it also sometimes assumes. In early life especially, we recognise 

 it in intractable swellings of the joints, from unhealthy inflam- 

 mation of their synovial fringes, and in accumulations of pus in 

 various parts of the body. These two forms are often met with 

 in different individuals of the same stock, and are always noto- 

 riously hereditary. I know at present of two entire horses, both 

 of fine symmetry and apparently sound and vigorous health and 

 constitution, that have for several seasons got stock, many of 

 which have died within a short time after birth from these com- 

 plaints, and others have long continued sick and ailing. A 

 pony, in sound health, and which had previously reared a strong 

 and vigorous foal, got by another sire, had a foal to one of these 

 horses. From birth it was weak on its legs, and died before it 

 was three weeks old : an immense accumulation of pus was 

 found underneath the psoae muscles, and all the larger joints 

 were inflamed, especially the stifle joints. In the succeeding 

 year the same pony had another foal to the same horse, which 

 again showed similar symptoms, and died about the same time 

 after birth. Again, in the next year the pony was put to another 

 horse, and had a foal which remained perfectly free from disease. 

 This case, we think, distinctly proves the transmission by the 

 sire of a scrofulous diathesis. The disease of the foals could not 

 depend upon accidental circumstances, for a similar affection oc- 

 curred in many of the stock got for several seasons by the same 

 horse. The disease was in this instance ascribable to the sire, and 

 not to the dam, — which is obvious from the fact, that the same 

 mare produced and reared a healthy foal both before and after 

 she had the two diseased ones. This last observation must not, 

 however, be misconstrued, as leading to the belief that diseases 

 are inherited from the male alone ; on the contrary, form, dispo- 

 sition, and tendency to disease, all depend quite as often on the 

 mother as on the sire. 



But a scrofulous diathesis, besides appearing in the forms 



