SCARLATINA IN HORSES. 
592 
wholesome vegetables, slices of bread, or bread moistened with 
salt water, are very acceptable to the sick animals, and produce 
decidedly good effect. 
When effusion has taken place in the splanchnic cavities, and 
the blood has lost all its natural properties, the disease is incu- 
lable. , Journal de Med . Vet . 
SCARLATINA IN HORSES. 
By Mr. W. Percivall. 
Though introducing a new name, I may, perhaps, not be 
introducing many of the readers of The Veterinarian to a 
disease they have not seen ; however, it is one that does but 
rarely occur, and one concerning which our schools and authors 
have, I believe, hitherto maintained silence. I venture to christen 
it Scarlatina , and for the reason that, in its leading characters, 
it bears more resemblance to that disorder than any other with 
which I can compare it, and because it seems to me to answer 
nearly or quite as well to that appellation as the disease (in man) 
does, which is properly so called. 
This affection is commonly ushered in by symptoms of catarrh ; 
for which, indeed, it might be mistaken were these not in a day 
or two succeeded by the appearance of numerous scarlet blotches 
upon the membrane lining the nose, possessing the hue of arte¬ 
rial blood, irregular in size and figure, and visible as high up as 
the membrane can be inspected. These appearances mostly as¬ 
sume the character of petechia; though I have seen them run¬ 
ning in streaks. They look just like so many patches of extra- 
vasated blood; but if one of them be wounded, blood instantly 
trickles down the nose, and assures us that, partially and singu¬ 
larly distributed as it is, it is still fluid, and still contained within 
its vessels. In passing our finger over the red spots, nothing 
like pimple or pustular elevation of surface is discoverable. The 
skin is everywhere similarly bespotted; at least I infer so from 
the results of my examination of the body of a horse that died of 
the disorder, whose case I shall annex to this account. A mu¬ 
cous discharge continues from the nose. Anasarca is a common 
attendant: the legs, the sheath, and even the belly, are occa¬ 
sionally much tumefied. The respiration is quickened ; but 
rather indicates pain than embarrassment. The pulse is also ac¬ 
celerated, and beats with force. There exists great disinclina¬ 
tion to move about. The appetite is either wholly lost or very 
much impaired. q sn 
