541 
CHANGES IN THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF 
DISEASES IN HORSES. 
By Veterinarius. 
Veterinary Surgeons who commenced their professional 
career a score or more years ago cannot fail to have made remarks 
in their own minds on the alterations of views and opinions which 
have, insensibly as it were, crept over them on the subject of dis- 
ease in horses, and in particular in relation to those diseases of 
which the majority of horses die — the diseases of the pulmonary 
organs and their appurtenances. Formerly, the very name of 
“ Inflammation of the Lungs” was the signal for immediate and 
copious letting of blood. What said Coleman] — “ Bleeding is our 
sheet anchor in pneumonia : let the pulse be what it may, you are 
to bleed.” " Probably the horse will stagger and become weak, 
but you are not to be appalled by that ; for he will become stronger 
and have his pulse increased in power by loss of blood. For it 
(the pulse) was previously debilitated by over-distention (of the 
artery with blood), and, therefore, you must continue the letting of 
blood until the pulse be actually reduced to a weak state.” “Bleed 
again, if you find the symptoms return.” “Give me blood-letting 
and the application of cold, and I will do more good than you will 
with all the other remedies*.” 
Such was the esteemed first-rate practice of its day ; and yet, 
were we of the present day to pursue the same line of thera- 
peutics, I will ask any veterinary surgeon what would be 
the result 1 “ Oh ! but,” I think I hear somebody say, “ it is 
now-a-days influenza , epidemic fever, pleuro-pneumonia, that 
we have to treat, and not common” — say, former — “ inflamma- 
tion of the lungs!” Was there then, in Coleman’s time, no such 
thing as epidemic pneumonia ; or does there in ours occur no such 
disease as common inflammation of the lungs ] That we hear 
and see a great deal more of “ influenza,” and “ epidemic,” and 
“ low fever,” than we were wont to do years past, admits of not a 
question, and that inflammations of the air-passages and pulmo- 
nary structures are, in an especial manner, altered thereby in their 
type and tendency, is to my mind a fact quite as demonstrable. 
It has been the gradual and insidious manner in which this change 
in the nature or character of disease has crept upon us that has 
led to so much destructive error in the practice of veterinary 
medicine. 
* Coleman’s Lectures. 
