EPIDEMIC CATARRH. 
115 
grows alarmingly red; the animal becomes gradually unconscious, 
and delirium follows. A curious thickening is sometimes ob¬ 
served about the tendons—it would be mistaken for severe sprain. 
It is seen under the knee, or about the fetlock. It is hot and 
tender, and the lameness is considerable. The feet occasionally 
suffer severely. There has been determination to them far more 
violent than the original disease; separation of the laminae and 
descent of the sole have ensued. You may easily imagine how 
roaring should be connected with epidemic catarrh ; but I never 
knew this disease to be followed by glanders, although some 
writers have affirmed that this is the case. These metastases 
are not critical; but we are rather glad to see them, except in¬ 
deed when the feet are attacked, for the disease seems inclined 
to shift its situation or character, and is more easily subdued. 
Debility the chief Character. —The most decided character of 
this disease is debility. Not the stiff unwilling motion of the 
horse with pneumonia, and which has been mistaken for debility-— 
every muscle being needed for the purposes of respiration, and 
therefore imperfectly used in locomotion—but actual loss of power 
in the muscular system generally. The horse staggers from the 
second day. He threatens to fall if you move him ; he is some¬ 
times down, permanently down, on the third or fourth day. The 
emaciation is rapid, extreme—the animal becomes a mere bag of 
bones. 
Final Stage. —At length your medical treatment succeeds, or 
nature begins to rally. The cough somewhat subsides ; the pulse 
assumes its natural standard; the countenance acquires a little 
more animation ; the horse will eat a little of some choice thing; 
and health and strength slowly, very slowly indeed, return: but 
at other times, when there had been no decided change during the 
progress of the disease, no manageable metastasis of inflammation 
while there was sufficient power left in the constitution to struggle 
with it, a strange exacerbation of symptoms accompanies the 
closing scene. The extremities become deathy cold ; the flanks 
heave; the countenance betrays greater distress; the membrane of 
the nose is of an intenser red; and inflammation of the substance of 
the lungs and congestion and death speedily follow. 
At other times the redness of the nostril suddenly disappears; 
it becomes purple, livid, dirty brown, and the discharge is bloody, 
foetid, the breath and all the excretions become foetid too; the 
mild character of the disease gives way to malignant typhus : 
swellings, and stinking ulcers, spread over different parts of the 
frame; and the animal is soon destroyed. 
Post-mortem Examination, —Examination after death suffici¬ 
ently displays the real character of the disease, inllammation first 
