570 
FOUR CASES OF PUTRID SORE THROAT IN 
HORSES, TERMINATING FATALLY. 
By Thomas Proctor, V.S., Solihull. 
A HUNTER, a filly, and two colts, the property of H. Chattock, 
Esq., were seen twice on the 4th of July last, and on each occasion 
were considered quite right and healthy by the person who had the 
care of them. Early on the morning of the 5th, Mr. C.’s bailiff 
came to me to say he had found the filly quite “ dead and stiff,” 
and wished me to make an examination of the body, with the view 
of accounting for the cause of death. I fixed two o’clock P.M. for 
a post-mortem examination. 
While on my round, Mr. Chattock’s groom overtook me, and 
said, “ I think, Sir, you had better see the other three horses, as 
it appears to me all of them are unwell.” Accordingly, I dis- 
mounted my horse, and accompanied him across two or three fields 
to the one in which these horses had been pastured for some time. 
I found the filly lying upon its left side, quite dead, with its throat 
very much swollen, and a great quantity of white froth issuing 
from its nostrils. A bay colt, three years old, stood near to the 
body of the filly, hanging his head down, with his throat enor- 
mously swollen, breathing sonorously, breath stinking, appearing 
languid and dispirited, tongue furred, the membrane of the nose of 
a dark crimson colour; pulse 110, weak and fluttering. I next 
examined the mare and the other colt, and found their symptoms 
very similar to those I have already described, with this difference 
only, that the mare’s pulse was upwards of 90 per minute, while 
the colt’s was but between 60 and 70. I at once recognized the 
ailment of my patients as being Malignant or Putrid Sore Throat , 
which I have ever found extremely fatal. I said to the groom, 
“ Lead the surviving animals home ; but remember, in all proba- 
bility, you only lead them there to die.” I then pursued my 
journey in haste, and returned soon after my two poor patients 
reached their stables. I bled them, and gave physic ; fomented, 
and afterwards blistered their throats; steamed their heads 
constantly ; and gargled their throats frequently. During the 
afternoon 1 watched them narrowly ; but in spite of all my efforts 
the disease progressed every hour. In the evening I saw Mrs. 
Chattock (her son being from home), when I explained to her the 
nature of the disease, its fatal character, &c., and advised her to 
call in another veterinary surgeon to meet me on such desperate 
cases. I was actuated in doing so by the supposition that Mr. C. 
might be the better satisfied when he came home. 
