MALADIE DU COIT. 
34-7 
fected with the disease, and many of his neighbors’ mares becom¬ 
ing infected through his horses, and other stallions standing in 
the county, called a number of veterinarians to investigate. 
This disease presented strange characteristics to the medical 
gentlemen called in, and it was only after considerable study into 
its peculiarities, and a large number of cases developing the same 
symptoms, that a diagnosis was made. Dr. Williams has demon¬ 
strated that the disease is maladie du coit, another of the plagues 
of Asia which has been known in the different countries of 
Europe for the past century, and is spread from one country to 
another through the importation of animals from infected lo¬ 
calities. 
It is a matter of fact, that many prominent veterinarians have 
repeatedly warned the people and legislators of the value and 
necessity of the enforcement of sanitary laws compelling inspec¬ 
tion of all importations of horses from countries where maladie 
dn coit prevails. Now this dread plague has gained a foothold 
among the horses of one of our best horse growing States, and 
the probability is that the disease will be widely spread. 
I am informed by credible horsemen of De Witt County that 
previous to a knowledge of the character of the disease, stal¬ 
lions have been shipped to different parts of the country, and 
that since the peculiarities of the malady are known, information 
has been sent to such parties, so that the infection may be 
limited. 
The origin of maladie du coit in Illinois is unknown ; it has 
existed so long that it is impossible to tell what importation 
brought it into the country. At present the disease is believed 
to be confined to Percheron stallions and the mares of De Witt 
County. Wide publicity has been given to the existence of mal¬ 
adie du coit in this country, and it is to be hoped, should any 
venereal disease develop among the breeding horses in any State, 
that the owners will at once quarantine the animals until an in¬ 
vestigation by competent veterinarians. 
Maladie du coit could only gain an entrance into the United 
States through the importation of an animal (stallion or mare) 
actually suffering with the disease, from an infected country 
