THE EPIDEMICS OF 
133 
them, in conjunction with febrile symptoms, too plainly de- 
monstrated the identity of the disorder to admit of a moment’s 
doubt. And these characteristics, I have since learned, have 
been as promptly recognizable upon the Surrey hills, farthest from 
London, as in the very heart of the metropolis itself. 
The second peculiarity observable has been the absence of 
catarrhal symptoms : most influenzae have been noted for affect- 
ing severely the mucous membrane of the air-passages ; in the 
present instance nothing has occurred of the kind that has 
attracted notice. Thirdly, the present epidemic has been of a 
remarkably curable nature — it has, with very few exceptions, 
speedily yielded to mild and simple treatment ; and although 
its tendency, after the primary attack, to run into debility has 
been strong and rapid, still that debility has not of itself proved 
ultimately hurtful further than the ill-conditioned state to which 
the animal has been reduced by it. 
Its Tendency or Termination has been, with a little assistance 
from art, sooner or later, into the return of health and strength. 
To this, however, there have been some — in comparison to the 
numbers attacked, very few— fatal exceptions. Out of the 
130 cases that have occurred in the regiment to which I belong, 
two have terminated in pneumonia, two in hydrothorax, and one 
in farcy and glanders : the farcy originated in and spread from 
the hind extremities ; glanders ensued. In some rare instances 
the attack has been so slight and evanescent as to pass off after 
simply a change of diet, without medicine. In the generality 
of cases, from a week to a fortnight has sufficed to restore the 
animals to health. In some instances, a lingering low fever, 
characterized by languor and debility, with or without swollen 
legs and sheath, and weak eyes, has supervened, which has called 
for the administration of tonics and diuretics and stimulants, 
and required from one week to a month to overcome. In one 
case, after the expiration of a month, an abscess formed in the 
throat, which proved critical, as from that period the animal 
went on well. 
Causes . — My regiment did not move from the Regent’s Park 
barracks until the first week in July, up to which period not a 
single case had occurred of this latter description of epidemic. 
The first and second weeks in July were marked by oppressively 
sultry weather, and in the third the influenza made its appear- 
ance, of which I have been attempting a description. Soon 
after its onset it rapidly spread, not from one horse to another 
standing by his side, or even always in the same stable or 
part of the barracks ; but it selected as its subjects the young, 
the three and four-year old horses, leaving hardly one of them 
