REVIEW. 
202 
using the names for the diseases of which it is severally and 
collectively compounded, such as catarrh , strangles, laryngitis, 
bronchitis, fyc. Many will be ready to remind us — and truly 
enough — that these disorders are called commonly now-a-days, 
influenza; and so they are when — which very often is the 
case — numbers of horses are attacked about the same time. 
Were this not the case, however, the disease might still be 
distemper, though it would, perhaps, not be said to be “ influ- 
enza.” Altogether, therefore, we prefer, as an anglicism for 
gourme, distemper ; and so shall head our translation. 
On the Distemper ( Gourme ) in Horses. 
The paper, which is by M. Charlier, was, as is customary, 
on its presentation to the society, submitted to a committee, 
from whose report it is we make the extracts we are about to 
lay before our readers : — 
M. Charlier defines gourme or distemper to be “ a catarrhal 
inflammation, more or less intense and more or less complicated, 
affecting the mucous lining of the nose, the sinuses of the head, the 
pharynx, the guttural pouches, the larynx, and sometimes even 
that of the trachea and bronchial tubes, attended with anormal 
secretion from this membrane, tumefaction, ordinarily painful, of 
the glands of the throat, and frequently as well of the cellular, 
tissue by which they are surrounded. According as the distem- 
per ( gourme ) affects one or other of these organs in particular, 
it has received from pathologists, says M. Charlier, the name 
of rhinitis (catarrh) simple or complicated angina, simple or 
plastic, coryza, bronchitis, 8jc. fyc., distinctions, he remarks, 
more fit to harass the intellect and confound the understanding 
than to cast any light on the subject. 
“ All these affections,” continues the author, “ have one uni- 
form character, viz. INFLAMMATION ; because engendered un- 
der the influence of similar causes, call for the same treatment, 
and consequently ought to be designated under one generic name. 
“ Distemper is not a disease confined to colts. It attacks 
likewise horses transported suddenly out of their native country, 
and is liable to happen in all horses without distinction of age 
or temperament ; uniformly of the same identical nature, dif- 
fering only in the general expression of its symptoms. 
“ Distemper and glanders,” adds M. Charlier, “ are liable to 
be confounded on account of the striking resemblance of their 
external symptoms, although in every particular essentially 
different.” 
