701 
Translations and Reviews of Continental 
Veterinary Journals, 
By W. Ernes, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
Giomale di Med. Vet. della Societa Rationale, Mese di Agosto. 
TYPHUS PNEUMONIA and its MANIFESTATION in CAVALRY. 
By D. Bertracchi, Chief Veterinary Surgeon to the School of Cavalry. 
This affection has visited the stables of the school for the 
second time, but its progress was rather slow. It prevailed, 
however, for a long period, that is, from the autumn to the 
end of winter. It assumed the thoracic rather than the ab- 
dominal form. The principal symptoms were dulness, 
which increased during the progress of the malady to positive 
stupor; a dry cough ; heaving of the flanks, which increased 
so rapidly as to threaten suffocation ; defluxion of tears ; 
great weakness, which rendered progression difficult, and 
caused a frequent shifting of position when the animal was 
standing. T he pulse was soft, feeble, and frequent ; be- 
coming quite indistinct in the advanced stages of the 
disease. The mucous membranes were injected, and of yellow 
colour. The appetite was lost ; but several of the patients 
would grasp a lock of hay and hold it between their teeth 
without making any attempt to masticate it. Tremors and 
convulsions were likewise occasionally observed. 
Causes . — The disease is not contagious, but its principal 
cause is an alteration of the blood. The predisposing cir- 
cumstances leading to this are those which gradually induce 
a state of the blood which seem to prove it to be wanting in 
red cells and fibrine; there being a superabundant quantity 
of serum. This is more particularly the case with those 
horses which have been pastured on the plains of the 
Maremme, and are purchased as remounts for the cavalry, 
and are further subjected to a want of sufficient food on their 
journey. Besides, after having joined the different corps, they 
are subjected to severe exertion before they have acquired 
sufficient age and condition. In fact it has been invariably 
the case, that after the troops have gone into camp, for this 
disease to break out amongst these horses. 
The treatment consisted of the exhibition of mild aperients ; 
Quinine combined with aromatic bitters, and occasional doses 
of calomel; and likewise of revulsives to different parts of 
the body. In the sectio cadaveris the liver was always found 
to be hard and gorged with blood of a sero-albuminous 
character; the heart to be of a pale yellow colour, and 
xxxi. 93 
