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CANINE DISTEMPER IN SOUTH AFRICA. 
THE CANINE DISTEMPER IN SOUTH AFRICA. 
By William T. Black, Staff Assistant-Surgeon. 
This distemper is a sad scourge amongst well-bred dogs in 
this country, especially to the first immigrants of them, and 
their immediate descendants; though the succeeding genera- 
tions are less liable to be so violently affected. It attacks all 
well-bred English dogs, pointers, hounds, terriers, and bull- 
dogs, and I have seen and heard of all these kinds dying of it. 
A pack of fox-hounds, which one of our Dragoon regiments 
had out here, could never yet be increased by indigenous 
breeding (not promiscuously, I mean), and so were obliged to 
get fresh dogs, now and then, out from England. Another 
regiment got the remainder of the pack, after the war of 5 47, 
but they were not more successful in rearing the puppies, 
and the young dogs died of the distemper. Now, only one 
or two well-bred couples are left of the whole pack, and still 
the latest litters of these share the fate of those that preceded 
them, after they grow up to a certain age, and eventually, I 
think, the breed will be altogether extinguished. So it is 
with the other kinds of well-bred dogs : litter after litter of 
those dogs that have escaped the distemper themselves, when 
brought out full-grown, perish generally by wholesale, — one 
or two barely escaping. . 
No remedies have yet been established here for the abate- 
ment of this scourge, though many have been tried, so that a 
generally successful one would be very highly prized, and 1 
should be glad to hear if any such could be recommended from 
England. I have treated three dogs, and saved them, with 
emetics of Tart. Ant. or ipecacuanha, followed by a purge of 
calomel and jalap, but I lost two by the same treatment. 
Case. — Lincoln, a nearly thorough-bred bloodhound, young, 
but of full growth, had been evidently ailing for some time, 
say about six weeks before he died. He was listless, had a 
capricious or total want of appetite, often retching or vomiting 
after taking his dish of food, and was generally thirsty, and easily 
tired when taken out, or was unwilling to follow. Improve- 
ment once took place from a dose of calomel and jalap, but 
he again relapsed, and became much emaciated, but able to 
eat a little and go about. Before he had the dose his gums 
were whitish, but they became redder afterwards, and bilious 
stools were passed, so that I thought he was going to mend. 
However, on releasing him one day before breakfast, he could 
not rise — his gums were of a dirty yellowish-white colour, 
