636 
REPORTS ON THE INFLUENZA. 
destroying all my joyous hopes, as it had too frequently done 
when, some ten years ago, a similar complaint prevailed. R antim. 
tart. 3 ss; calomel 33 s ; zingib. 3 i; p. gentian 3 i ; aloes 3i; in 
ball, and given every day, or every alternate day. 
By this mode of treatment, I succeeded in 79 severe cases 
out of 82 : for in May, I had 17 cases ; in June, 16; in July, 10 ; 
in August, 22 ; and in September, 12 cases. 
There was little variation in the symptoms or character of the 
disease, except in those cases that happened in August: in them 
the eyes were much inflamed and closed (from the swelling of 
the eyelids), at the first appearance of the disease. In these 
instances, I found a second bleeding about the third day to have 
a good effect : the disease seemed to take on an acuter character, 
and to be more dangerous in proportion to the number of horses 
affected. 1 observed that the slightest exercise for seven or 
eight days after the commencement of the attack raised the 
pulse, quickened the respiration, and aggravated the general 
symptoms to an alarming degree ; therefore, I allowed no exer- 
cise beyond that of the box or other loose place ; gentle hand- 
rubbing, however, was used, and the patients warmly clothed, 
the place being warm, but as airy as possible. 
It appeared to me that wet, foggy weather, with little winds, was 
connected with, or was the exciting cause of this disease. I also 
found, that in the great majority of cases, the first symptom was 
a chilliness and shivering of the whole frame, and this after the 
horse had been drinking cold water, when he was in a state of 
perspiration, and the stomach empty. Of the three that died, one 
of them was a favourite mare of my own. They had excessive 
fever, and on the seventh day pleuritis with pneumonia ensued, 
in a very severe form, which bid defiance to every thing I could 
suggest. They died about the 13th day from the commencement 
of the disease. 
In this neighbourhood there has been a marked difference in 
the type and course of this disease, compared, with that malig- 
nant epidemic which troubled us in 1832-3. In that, the mucous 
membranes seemed to be the seat of the malady, with general 
laxity of muscular fibre. In the present case, the principal seat 
of the complaint appeared to be more in the muscular system ; 
for there was a tension and slight contraction of the muscular 
fibre generally, and a remarkable soreness of every external part. 
There was no sloughing of the mucous membrane of the intes- 
tines, as in 1832-3, nor any suppuration of the glands, or nasal 
discharge, as at the former period ; but a dryer state (if i may 
be allowed to use the expression) of the whole system, with 
great thirst and general heat. 
