446 
W. L. WILLIAMS. 
of the urethra throughout its entire length with solid nitrate of 
silver. We would naturally expect benefit, in cases of long stand¬ 
ing, from the use of alteratives, such as mercury, iodine and arsenic; 
and where used in the present outbreak they have at times appeared 
to have a beneficial effect, or at least it could not be seen that 
mercury aggravated the disease, as some authors have stated. Cas¬ 
tration is said to have a beneficial influence on the course of the 
disease in stallions, but it has not been tried during the present 
outbreak. 
Prevention and Extirpation .—We are suddenly awakened to 
the existence of this, to us, hitherto unknown disease in our 
midst, and if not dealt with firmly and heroically, it must prove a 
serious scourge to the horse interests of Illinois and the country at 
large, and it is to be hoped that the sad experience of De Witt 
Country may prove a timely warning. 
The work of control and extirpation has surpassed our expec¬ 
tations in effectiveness in many particulars, due largely to an 
unusually hearty cooperation of almost every horse-breeder in the 
infected district, frequently at no small personal sacrifice; and to 
a continuance of this same earnest assistance we must largely look 
for an effective controlling and stamping out of the disease. 
At the beginning of the investigations, Messrs. Harrold & 
Culbertson and Foley & Seniff furnished a complete list of all 
mares bred to their stallions since affected, and other stallion 
owners followed their example freely and by these lists every mare 
was traced as far as possible, and if found alive in the State was 
quarantined; and every diseased, suspected or apparently at all 
dangerously exposed stallion was treated likewise. All exposed 
mares in the State were personally inspected by Dr. Casewell or 
myself, or their condition otherwise reliably learned, and the 
notices of quarantine were served by Dr. Casewell, myself, or W. 
H. Wheeler of Clinton. 
Every stallion kept for public service in the entire infected 
area, so far as could be learned, and nearly every stallion within 
ten miles of that area, were personally inspected by myself, and 
the owners and keepers cautioned and advised to the best of my 
ability. 
i 
