118 MR. youatt’s veterinary lectures. 
adopt every necessary precaution. Remove from the stable ajs 
quickly as possible the horse that exhibits symptoms of epidemic 
catarrh. Remove the affected horse, and not the sound one. 
The apparently sound one may have the malady lurking about 
him, and may more widely propagate the disease. 
Treatment. — Bleeding .—The medical treatment of epidemic 
catarrh is far from difficult. It is a disease of the mucous mem¬ 
brane, and of an extensive portion of it, and thus connected with 
much debility. It is nevertheless a febrile affection, and, for a 
little while, of considerable intensity. This fever must be sub¬ 
dued, and in a way least likely to increase the subsequent debility. 
Recourse must be had to the lancet, and blood abstracted at 
once, and that in sufficient quantity to affect the constitution. 
There is no fact so evident or so important in veterinary pathology, 
as that early and copious depletion will abate inflammatory 
action without permanently debilitating the system; while re¬ 
peated small bleedings will weaken the constitution, and perhaps 
remove chronic inflammation, yet will not have the slightest 
effect on that which is of an acute character. Therefore bleed 
early, regulated by the condition of the animal, by the fullness 
of the pulse, and more particularly by the effect of the operation. 
Here, more than in any othef case, we should bleed ourselves, or 
stand by while the animal is bled; and here also, more than in 
any other case, it is necessary that the orifice should be large, that 
the blood should flow quickly, that the pulse should falter, and 
that the depletion should then be immediately suspended. In 
proportion as you fear the possible typhoid form which the dis¬ 
ease may assume, let your measures be prompt and decisive. 
Medicine. — In this insidious disease the bowels are usually 
constipated. The pellets of dung are small and hard. Give that 
which has been recommended in catarrh,—small doses of aloes, 
combined with the usual fever medicine, the digitalis, nitre, 
and emetic tartar. If by auscultation, joined with a comparison 
of other symptoms, you are assured that there is little or no af¬ 
fection of the chest, a mild dose of physic may be exhibited ; 
but there is some danger attending this, and the laxative doses 
of aloes are preferable. As soon as the faeces are pultaceous, 
or even before, and certainly before purging commences, omit the 
aperient, and continue the fever medicine, and that until the in¬ 
flammatory action is evidently subdued. 
Diet .—In a disease in which it is so necessary to abate fever, 
and yet not to weaken the system, strict attention, much stricter 
than the veterinarian usually enforces, or the groom dreams of, 
should be paid to diet. No corn must be allowed, but mashes 
and thin grueL The horse will not drink gruel if he can get at 
