422 
EXTRACT8 FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 
has nothing in common with pleuro-pneumonia contagiosa equo- 
rnm. The view held by some authors that both diseases are dif¬ 
ferent forms of primary disease (influenza), is therefore unten¬ 
able. But in Germany, for many years past, the contagious 
pleuro-pneumonia of horses has been spoken of as influenza. It 
would, therefore, be devoid of purpose to apply the same term to 
the disease under consideration. 
Now, it may be suggested that it would be better, inasmuch 
as the pleuro-pneumonia of horses has so many analogies with 
the croupous pneumonia of tl»e human subject, as well as with 
the lung disease of cattle, to dispense with the word influenza 
altogether, as applied to this disease, and speak of it simply as 
“ pleuro-pneumonia contagiosa equorum.” Whilst acknowledg¬ 
ing the justice of the principle, I feel bound, on practical grounds, 
to object to its adoption. 
I therefore propose to the German veterinarians that we should 
name the present disease “ Equine Distemper ” (Staupe derPferde). 
and retain for the other disease “ Equine Chest-disease ” ( Brust- 
seuche der Pferde). The word “ distemper,” which in itself ex¬ 
presses nothing further than a “ disorder,” for scientific purposes 
can easily be limited to a specific disease. In medicine such words 
as plague, lues, influenza, have come to be applied to special 
diseases of the human subject. That the word “ distemper ” is 
already used to express a disease of dogs is no argument against 
my proposition. Human plague {Die Pest der Menschen) is 
• another disease to cattle-plague, and no veterinarian would find 
any difficulty in conceiving “ equine distemper ” as a different 
disease to “ canine distemper.” 
[Far from having been confined to the countries mentioned in 
the preceding lines, this malady hss been exceedingly prevalent 
in this country, and especially in London, during the present year, 
and has not yet left us. From personal observation, I can testify 
to the identity of the disease here and on the Continent. It seems 
somewhat surprising that no communication should have been 
made to the journals in reference to its presence amongst us. 
Professor Dieckerhoff will, I know, pardon my drawing his 
attention to the fact that Professor Williams has in this country 
