63G 
ON THE EPIDEMIC INFLUENZA OF 1836. 
branes of the brain in particular ; the nervous influence was more 
or less suspended ; the animal quite staggered in his attempt to 
move, and now and then fell down. 
With regard to treatment, I have found direct depletive mea- 
sures have generally done little or no good. I have, however, in 
some cases, where febrile symptoms have run high, or where 
there has been an evident determination to any particular organ, 
bled moderately. 1 have given the fever ball, consisting of 
half an ounce each of nitre and cream of tartar, and one drachm 
of emetic tartar twice or thrice a-day, varying the dose a little as 
circumstances might require. I have used setons or rowels, 
either behind the ears or in the breast. In cases of a milder form, 
I have considered it of consequence to keep the kidneys, at least, 
alive to their natural function, and perhaps to exert them a little 
by combining with the fever ball a more direct diuretic. Purging 
in every instance that has occurred to me, so far from doing any 
good, lias been productive of irreparable injury. The patient 
rapidly sinks under its operation, every symptom is aggravated, 
extreme prostration of strength ensues, the animal eats nothing, 
and, if the purgation is not immediately checked, the patient ine- 
vitably dies. 
The horse should be kept in an airy but not a cold situation. 
Good hand-rubbing to his legs, or, at least, his usual dressing 
every day, will be useful, and he should be well clothed up ; 
cleanliness and the general comfort of the animal should be par- 
ticularly attended to His food should consist of bran mashes 
with some oats, green meat if it can be procured, or the best 
meadow hay. In desperate cases, I allow him to be indulged 
with any thing that he will eat, as I am quite sure that he will 
not take enough of any kind of food to hurt him, and in such 
cases I have given gruel, or linseed tea, or both ; and in others, 
bran tea instead of water. 
I will give you the particulars of a few cases, which I trust 
may not be thought altogether uninteresting. 
CASE I. 
On the 6th of November ult., I was sent for to attend a horse 
at strawyard, belonging to Mr. Jones of this town. I found him 
lying down in the yard, and those around me said I should 
never get him up again. With a little management we raised him, 
and put him into a loose box. His eyes w r ere considerably 
swelled and discharging; his head hung down; the pulse was 
sixty, and full; the respiration tolerably tranquil. It was, however, 
with the greatest difficulty that he could stand; he reeled about, 
and require several men to balance him while I was about him. 
