THE INFLUENZA OF 1836 . 
123 
they are all cold in* the morning and hot at night. The horse 
always drinks a good deal, but he is not seriously ill when he eats 
either mashes or hay. He may, however, be often tempted to 
eat articles of which he is very fond, such as carrots, furze, boil- 
ed barley, beans, &c. The mouth is hot, dry, clammy, red, and 
occasionally tinged with yellow. The eyes also are often yellow- 
ish, particularly at the beginning. The evacuations are not al- 
tered in colour or consistence ; at least they present no appear- 
ances which may not be observed in health. They are often re- 
tained, the horse, perhaps, passing a whole day without emptying 
either bladder or rectum. There is rarely any cough; when 
there is, or when coughing is excited by compression of the 
larynx, the sound is low, stifHed , gurgling, interrupted, and some- 
times the effort is painful. The horse rarely lies down. For a 
few minutes he may, at an early period, especially if he does any 
work after he is ill ; and at a later stage of the disease he some- 
times lies down from abdominal pain ; but in nine cases out of ten 
he stands night and day, from first to last. The blood, when drawn, 
is always dark coloured ; it is so even in the prefebrile stage, 
though not very decidedly. In fatal cases, the blood is abso- 
lutely black, and thick as treacle for some time before the horse 
dies. The vein fills slowly, and the blood escapes in drops. It 
is exceedingly cohesive, sticking to the fingers, and uniting with 
the hair like glue. 
When the horse is to live, the symptoms, after an uncertain 
period, remain stationary. He [\s in much the same state for 
two, three, or four days. Then he becomes more lively, the eye 
less red, the pulse softer, the artery not so easily felt, yet broader 
and softer when it is felt. The heart may continue to be very 
irritable for several days longer. Before the number of pulsations 
decrease, there is usually some irregularity in the action of the 
heart. It beats as quickly as before, but it pauses, omits several 
strokes every now and then, perhaps at every twentieth stroke. 
Th is is a good sign, and in this disease it is entirely independent 
of medicine. The horse gradually returns to his food, moves 
about, recovers some portion of his strength, but seldom lies 
down till eight or ten days after he appears to be out of danger. 
When the horse is to die, his pulse continues to rise till it 
passes a hundred; the breathing gets quicker; the horse expresses 
no pain, yet his countenance indicates extreme dejection. He 
stands for hours together without moving a limb, heedless of all 
external objects, and shewing no desire for any thing, except 
perhaps for water, when he casts a languid glance behind him 
upon hearing a pail in motion. If very heavy, he sometimes 
lies down, and in this stage he requires assistance to rise. He 
