524 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December,' 
upright forked poles are about 15 feet above 
ground, bearing a roller, that should be as 
small as is consistent with the weight to be 
raised. The pieces of scantling that go 
through the roller can be as long as may be 
desired to work them easily. A cleat is 
placed on one side of the posts, to which one 
of the “ arms” can be fastened by the rope 
upon its end. By cutting down the roller 
and leaving it large at both ends, any tenden¬ 
cy to draw out of the forked poles is prevent¬ 
ed. I have mine under a shed, the “ wheel” 
being placed just outside. One man can raise 
a large beef with this affair, the only “hitch ” 
being to get hold of the hanging rope coming- 
next—a boy can hand this to the man.” 
A Cheap Flood Gate. 
A good and strong water or flood gate is 
shown in the accompanying engraving, made 
from a sketch sent by Mr. O. K. Miller. It 
A CHEAP FLOOD GATE. 
consists of two stout posts, five feet high, 
bearing a heavy cross-bar rounded at each 
end and fitted into sockets, in which the bar 
with gate attached can swing. The construc¬ 
tion of the gate is easily seen from the figure. 
Influenza, or “Pink-Eye,” in Horses. 
BY TROF. A. I.IAUTARD, M. D., V. S., DEAN OF THE 
AMERICAN VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
Under the above names are included many 
different diseases of the horse. It is, however, 
better to restrict the term influenza to only 
the epizootic disease of horses, which is 
analogous to the influenza of man, and accom¬ 
panied by a catarrhal inflammation of the air 
passages, with general debility or weakness 
of the animal. 
The common term of Pink-Eye is used by 
horse-owners on account of the coloration and 
general appearance of the eye. This is not a 
new disease, as might be inferred from the 
reports in the newspapers. The first account 
of an affection similar to it dates as far back 
as 1729. In 1732 it prevailed in England, in 
1746 in Germany, in 1758 in the north of 
Scotland, and so on ; in modern times it pre¬ 
vailed in 1840 in France, in 1858 in Germany, 
in 1860 in France again, while every one 
remembers the epizootic of 1872 which pre¬ 
vailed in this country. This started in Canada 
and spread all over this continent, disabling- 
horses, preventing their use, and thus for a 
number of weeks interfered with the immense 
traffic of our people, while it carried off 
hundreds of valuable animals, either by dis¬ 
ease, or, in many instances, improper and 
injudicious treatment. The latest appear¬ 
ance of this affection was just one year ago, 
when several of our large cities suffered from 
the same trouble. 
Influenza is a disease essentially epizootic, 
that is, affecting a large number of horses 
upon a large territory, and its sudden appear¬ 
ance can as yet only be vaguely explained. 
It appears in all climates and under all tem¬ 
peratures. Many causes have been assigned 
for it, such as a sudden change of air, mias¬ 
matic influences, a peculiar electric condition 
of the air, etc. The presence of ozone in ex¬ 
cess in the atmosphere, the influence of con¬ 
tinued eastern or western winds, are con¬ 
sidered by some authors as essential causes, 
but careful investigation has shown most of 
them to be groundless. Drafts or currents of 
air, low and badly ventilated stables, are re¬ 
garded as predisposing causes, but this rests 
on no real ground, as we have seen it in New 
York prevail in the best stables where all 
hygienic rules were carefully observed, as 
often as in the poorest shanties, where fresh 
air and light were almost unknown, and where 
filth was gathered without regard to health. 
The sex, the age, the breed of the animal, 
seems to have no influence, though in the 
last two outbreaks in the United States, 
mares seemed to suffer in greater numbers, 
and they also made a more general recovery ; 
geldings, as a general thing, yielding less 
readily to treatment. 
The question of contagion is yet unsettled; 
many admit it, while many others deny 
it. The symptoms make their appearance 
suddenly; an animal, apparently perfectly 
well at a given time, may a few hours after¬ 
wards be very sick. At first the animals may 
show only a slight loss of appetite, a little 
fever, which may vary in intensity, the pulse 
becoming quicker, the respiration increased, 
and the temperature rising several degrees. 
The throat becomes tender on pressure, and 
then a dry and painful cough appears. The 
eyes become bloodshot and swollen, with a 
discharge more or less abundant. Sometimes 
there is an inflammatory condition of the eye, 
followed by the formation of pus, and often 
the extremities are swollen. Soon a dis¬ 
charge from the nose takes place, at first 
thin and watery, afterwards more pus-like in 
character. According to the type and sever¬ 
ity of the disease, and the peculiarity of the 
individuals, nervous symptoms show them¬ 
selves, or troubles of the chest and bowels 
are detected. Thus we find symptoms of lung 
fever, or bronchitis, colicky pains, or inflam¬ 
mation of the bowels, complicating the 
original disease, and again rheumatic symp¬ 
toms are sometimes observed. Generally the 
disease runs a regular course, and lasts but a 
few days, from seven to ten, unless it becomes 
complicated. In the first case there is no 
fear for ultimate recovery, while in the other 
fatal results may occur. The epizootic may- 
last a short time, or it may continue for 
weeks or months ; cases are recorded where 
it lasted a whole year. Irregular in its ap¬ 
pearance and in its manipulations, it may 
affect a few horses or may lay up all the ani¬ 
mals of a stable. When the disease is simple 
in its character, there is no mortality ; in the 
epizootic of Cleveland, in 1860, it is said that 
only one horse died out of 400 sick ones. 
When it is complicated, the mortality is likely 
to be greater, and specially is this the case 
where the disease known as Purples (purpura 
hemorrhagica) appears. 
The treatment of simple influenza is very- 
easy. Rest, care in the diet, abundant drinks 
with small doses of saltpetre, are the princi¬ 
pal things to be observed. Where there is 
sore throat, employ slight counter irritations 
by liniments and blisters. A mixture of 
Honey or Molasses, with Liquorice, Gum 
Arabic and Extract of Belladonna, will allay 
the cough. If there is extreme debility, al¬ 
coholic stimulants may be given in the water, 
and if the administration of pills does not 
produce too much cough, 2 drams of Carbo¬ 
nate of Ammonia, with one dram of Camphor, 
may be given. Careful attention to hygiene, 
proper ventilation, fresh and clean bedding, 
bandaging of the smaller extremities, and 
judicious blanketing according to the condi¬ 
tion of external air, are of the greatest ad¬ 
vantage in the management of influenza. 
Complications require a different treatment 
according to their nature. It is impossible to 
give any rules relating to the prevention of 
the disease ; cleanliness and disinfection being 
about the only- advice to give ; but influenza 
will appear, no matter what precautions 
may have been taken against it. 
A Vice with a Crank. 
Mr. James R. Pierson, Eaton Co., Mich., 
sends sketches of a work-bench vice, that 
is opened and closed by a crank, which, Mr. 
P. claims, is more economical to operate than 
the old-fashioned sliding lever. Another im¬ 
provement in the vice consists in the jaws, 
which are made tapering, that they may have 
a spring, and thus hold whatever is between 
them very firmly. There is a notch about 
three inches from the top to hold objects cor- 
nerwise ; also a shoulder at the top of each 
jaw to make its grip more secure. The vice 
is constructed as follows : “Hard-wood scant¬ 
ling, 4 by 44 inches, and 43 inches long, 
makes the main parts. From the screw 
to the top is 18 inches—the screw to pass just 
under the bench. Put a block, two inches 
square, between the lower ends of the jaws, 
with cleats nailed so as to hold the ‘ feet ’ in 
place. Figure 1 shows a side view of the 
vice, the front being given in figure 2.” 
A Merited SSosaor.—The Emperor of 
Germany has honored himself in honoring 
Lawes and Gilbert, of Rotliamsted, Eng. By 
Imperial decree he has conferred upon these 
gentlemen the “Gold Medal of Merit,” in 
recognition of their services to agriculture, 
