On the Nature of Japanese Farcy, an Enzootic Skin 

 Disease of the Horses and Cattle 

 of Japan. 



BY 



H. Tokishige, Juigahishi. 



Under different synonyms, Japanese farcy (//zVc), pseudofarcy 

 {kasei-hiso), equine pox [hoso), equine syphilis [kasa), inundation 

 fever {gdzui-iieistc), yakunie ( = duty), dekivie (=eruption), ino- 

 chitori { = &c., there is known a special kind of skin disease, 



which prevails among the horses and cattle of Japan, and v/hich 

 is, among infectious diseases of our animals, the most devastating. 

 As the symptoms of this disease are more or less allied to those 

 oi malleus farciminosiis, so it is popularly known as farcy {Jiiso), 

 and, in fact, in the Regitlations for Contagious Diseases of 

 A7ninals, issued in 1886 and amended in the previous year, this 

 disease is treated in the same way as genuine glanders and farcy. 



To our farmers and empirics this disease has been known 

 from old times, under the vulgar names of kasa, hoso, &c.; and 

 it has been supposed to be identical with small pox or syphilis in 

 mankind. They believe that horses, especially foals must, in the 

 natural course of things, contract this disease ; but that, when 

 once it is safely passed through, the animal becomes not only 

 immune against further infection, but is stronger and more robust 

 in constitution than before. Most farmers are well pleased when 

 farcy is got over, saying, — " My pony has done his duty." Owing 

 to this superstition, those horses which have had farcy are more 

 highly esteemed than those which have not yet had it. This 

 fact is sufficient to show how wide-spread this enzooty is. 



Formerly the disease was known only in the north-eastern 

 part of Japan, more especially in Sendai and the neighborhood. 

 Later on, the disease gradually spread over a wider area towards 

 the south-west, and at present it is found in nearly all the pro- 

 vinces of Japan. It prevails especially in low marshy districts 



