CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS. 
551 
has nothing whatever to do in its production, as it attacks those 
animals that are well cared for as well as those that are not; 
attacks in the field as well as in the stable. In fact, neither 
age, sex, condition nor mode of living seem to give exemption 
from an attack, or to modify the symptoms when it occurs. 
Prognosis .—There is no disease of the horse with which we 
are acquainted so fatal as this one. In the last two epidemics that 
came under our notice, every animal attacked died; and in the 
different parts of the country where this disease (though under the 
different names previously stated) has been described by the news¬ 
papers as having occurred during the present year, the mortality 
they have said has been very large. In previous outbreaks very 
few horses recovered. We have succeeded in carrying four through 
the disease, but these were seen when they could not swallow 
fluids, but could still swallow food. The prognosis is, therefore, a 
grave one, and in the large majority of cases must be unfavorable* 
Treatment. In a disease so rapid in its course and fatal in its 
character, it is extremely difficult to say anything satisfactory of 
the course of treatment to be adopted. There are certain indica¬ 
tions to be fulfilled: the question is, “ How is it best to carry them 
out? We must take into consideration the nature of the disease, 
the probable progress it has made, and the mischief done before 
the case is seen; it is not often that the veterinarian is called in at 
the onset, but generally when he examines his cases, he will find 
from the paralysis of some parts, as the throat or posterior extremi¬ 
ties, that the inflammation has existed long enough for its products 
to be exuded from the vessels. We must also take into considera¬ 
tion that in the cases where the power of deglutition of both fluids 
and solids is lost, we are deprived of one method of administering 
medicine, viz., by the mouth, unless a stomach-pump should be 
within reach, whereby we might pump or pour the medicines 
through its tube safely into the stomach. We must give a caution 
with regard to administering draughts or medicine in a fluid form 
—it is often a risky experiment for an inexperienced person, even 
on an animal whose powers of deglutition are perfect, but in the 
cases now under consideration, where the powers are but imper¬ 
fect, if not altogether lost, it is fraught with great danger. The 
