INFECTIOUS ABORTION. 
571 
( b ). Cerebro-spinal meningitis, from which it is to be sep¬ 
arated by its history, its more sudden onset, its cramp unac¬ 
companied by paralysis, its well marked trismus, rapid course 
and more favorable termination. 
(c.) Azoturia, from which it differs essentially in attacking 
animals not subject to that affection—that is, mares enjoying 
unrestrained liberty and having young foals. Aside from the 
fact that azoturia cannot be induced in such animals, the 
spasms are more general over the entire body, the trismus is 
characteristic, and the urine neither so abundant nor highly 
colored. 
The treatment should evidently consist first of quietude 
and comfort. The foal should be allowed with the mare. In 
my cases free blood-letting apparently alleviated the symp¬ 
toms, if resorted to early. 
Fluid extracts of belladonna and cannabis indica in large 
and repeated doses apparently allayed the excitability and 
exerted a favorable influence upon the course of the disease. 
INFECTIOUS ABORTION. 
By J. F. Reid, Y.S., Decatur, Ill, 
(A Paper read before the Illinois Veterinary Medical Association). 
The alarming prevalence of abortion throughout the coun¬ 
try generally during the past few years, and especially the 
past year, entailing great loss on the horse-breeders of the 
country, surely requires close attention from the veterinary 
profession, and thorough experimental investigations should 
be made to discover the cause, and if possible some preven¬ 
tive for this terrible scourge. 
Outbreaks of abortion in an epizootic form have been 
known and recorded from the earliest times, and although all 
agree as to their destructiveness, in this country there have 
been no thorough investigations made as to the cause or the 
amount of damage inflicted each year. Now the loss in cer¬ 
tain localities is very great, and I am confident that it is not • 
an over-estimate for me to give as the loss suffered in the dis- 
