117 
ON THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC OR INFLUENZA 
AMONG HORSES. 
By Mr. W. Percivall, M.R.C.S , , Veterinary Surgeon to the 
First Life Guards. 
The expiring of the old year and birth of the new one has 
brought among our horses a disease uniform enough and pre- 
valent enough to obtain the appellation of either “ epidemic,” 
" epizootic,” “ influenza,” or “ distemper,” as suits the voca- 
bulary or fancy of the groom or doctor in attendance. In most 
instances, it has assumed the bronchitic form of disease, dis- 
tinguished by concomitant laryngitis, which has produced an 
annoying sore throat, and a cough evidently painful from the 
feebleness of it, and the palpable efforts made by the animal to 
suppress it. The respiration has proved very slightly disturbed ; 
just enough, however, with the absence of murmur and the dead- 
ness of percussion, to indicate some congestion of the lungs. 
Dulness, dispiritedness, gloominess, has been an early and re- 
markable symptom. The appetite has not altogether failed ; 
but has been fastidious enough. The extremities are commonly 
warm. In two instances, there has been very conspicuous an 
intolerance of light — the horse blinking or shutting his eyes 
when brought to the stable-door or window ; and yet the eyes 
themselves have shewn no appearance of disease, nor had any 
issue running from them. In one case the conjunctival mem- 
brane was evidently a good deal loaded with bilious tinge. In 
ordinary cases, it has, in common with the Schneiderian mem- 
brane, appeared reddened and injected. No discharge, or only a 
lachrymous one, from the nostrils. The tongue has been dry, and 
exhibited longitudinal broad patches of redness, but afterwards 
has attained that saponaceous character which indicates — and 
particularly when combined with the yellow tinge of the mucous 
membranes — gastro-enteritic disorder; and this has been further 
indicated, in some cases, by the dung-balls being either of so 
light a bilious shade as almost to appear of a gamboge colour, or 
else to shew a tinge of the highest-coloured bile ; and being at 
the same time coated with albuminous (slimy) matter. The urine 
is thick, and less than usual in quantity. 
Slight cases, treated at their commencement, will amend 
again on the third or fourth day, and the horses resume their 
work in a week. When there is confirmed inflammation in the 
air-passages, and the lungs become congested, the case will 
endure a fortnight or three weeks, or mav occupy altogether a 
VOL. XV. Q 
