380 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
without any other symptoms of disease I think it would be im¬ 
politic to reject them on account of that. Horses brought from 
the country into the city are always somewhat excited and this 
excitement is aggravated by the pushing, hauling, whipping, etc., 
that they get in the yards, which is sufficient to produce an ele¬ 
vation in temperature. It is known as ephemeral fever. The 
change of feed and the different surroundings are sufficient to 
produce some elevation of temperature, but without any other 
symptoms, I think it would be an injustice to reject such 
horses. 
Dr. Howe ; I have often found that the slightest little change 
caused some rise in temperature. 
Dr. Paxson : I think that the thermometer is very important 
and should be used to a greater extent. In cases of influenza, for 
instance, the thermometer points to the affection before any 
other symptoms are apparent. So that you can check the 
disease before it develops. Many times horses are found 
apparently well that have high temperatures, and the next 
day they are found to be very sick. I think that from a scien¬ 
tific standpoint we should not accept a horse with abnormal 
symptoms. 
Dr. Baker: Dr. Paxson’s and my ideas are not apparently 
on the same point. In influenza the temperature rises suddenly, 
sometimes in six hours. A case of temperature at 102 with no 
other symptoms, but possibly a little stocking of the legs, and a 
temperature of 106 are two different things. I think in a case 
where the temperature is above 102 or 102^ it would be fair to 
put the animal under treatment for 24 hours. If it is influenza 
it will develop by that time, if not it will be normal. 
Dr. Campbell: Suppose you know that a horse with a tem¬ 
perature of 102 has been in the stall and had no excitement, 
would you accept that horse ? 
Dr. Baker: I would draw the line as to the condition of the 
horse. Fever and influenza develop very rapidly ; you see the 
temperature go up then within an hour to 106. I would not 
reject a horse that does not show any other suspicious symptoms 
but rise in temperature to 102. 
Dr. Hughes: It would be well for us to arrive at some defi¬ 
nite temperature. A horse with a temperature of 102 is sus " 
picious, but 102 is not. In a green horse there is a certain 
amount of indigestion present and excitement follows. This 
accounts also for the swollen legs we find. A horse with 103 
should be rejected. I never take a horse’s temperature any 
