*>9 
WEED IN THE HORSE. 
By Mr. J. Anderson, Leicester. 
Artein experientia facit, exomplo monstrante riam. 
The subject of this communication is one which I have not 
seen fully delineated in the pages of The Veterinarian, al- 
though it is true Mr. Youatt in his admirable lecture (No. ix) 
on Farcy, does approximate to it. 
It may be necessary to premise, in the first instance, a few ob- 
servations on the nature of weed, for the sake of elucidation, as 
the term is not generally known. 
The ephemera, or weed, is a fever of short duration. Agreeably 
to the etymology of the word, it is a fever which begins, is per- 
fectly formed, and runs its course in the space of twelve hours. 
It seems to arise from a general irritability of the whole nervous 
system, or from some local affection : the glandular parts are 
peculiarly liable to become inflamed and suppurate. 
The weed in the horse is evidently an inflammation of the ab- 
sorbents. 
Symptoms . — The horse is attacked with rigors, caused by the 
contraction of the capillaries forcing the blood back into the 
veins. He looks dull ; the mouth is hot and parched ; and he 
refuses his food. The respiration is hurried, and there are all 
the symptoms of fever; the pulse ranging from SO to 130 in a 
minute. In a few hours swelling commences in the groin, and 
in many instances extends to the mammae, scrotum, and ab- 
domen, and descends down the hinder legs. Great inflammation 
ensues ; the swelling becomes enormous, attended by excruciat- 
ing pain, tenderness, heat, and throbbing of the arteries. The 
inflamed lymphatics become inadequate to perform their func- 
tions, hence the great engorgement of the parts affected, sup- 
puration occasionally takes place in the groin, and the discharge 
is, for the most part, healthy. 
Causes . — Change of diet from hard to green food ; exposure 
to cold and wet ; the stomach being surcharged ; and the horse 
not having regular exercise. It frequently takes place on a 
Sunday afternoon or Monday morning, which may be accounted 
for from many horses not being out of their stable from Saturday 
night, and during the antecedent week having been at hard 
labour. When the animal has been once affected, a relapse fre- 
quently occurs. 
Treatment . — Phlebotomy is indicated, either from the jugular, 
VOL. ix. n n 
