12 
FRED. TORRANCE. 
NOTES ON VARIOLA EQUINA* 
By Fred. Torrance, B.A. Veterinary Student. 
On the 4 th of February a horse was admitted to the College 
Hospital for treatment. The owner said that a few days before 
he had noticed a slight eruption on the horse’s heels, but thinking 
it a case of scratches he paid little attention to it. However, as 
the eruption showed no signs of healing, and the leg began to 
swell, he brought him to the college for treatment. 
On examination the following symptoms were noted: Pulse 
33 ; respiration, 9 ; mucous membranes, normal; bowels, slightly 
constipated ; appetite good ; skin, tender and irritable, the animal 
shrinking from the touch ; coat staring. 
The left hind leg was swollen and painful, and the animal 
was very unwilling to move. On closer examination of this leg, 
a large sore was found in the hollow of the pastern. It was 
yellow in color in the centre and surrounded by a red edge, and 
was covered with a peculiar yellowish gummy fluid, having a 
characteristic mousy smell, and feeling between the Angers like 
the white of an egg. This sore was a little smaller than the palm 
of the hand. Surrounding it were a number of single vesicles, 
whose color and appearance were difficult to distinguish owing to 
the pigment in the skin and the long hair of the part, but the 
same gummy fluid exuded from each and stuck to the surround¬ 
ing hair. On running the hand up the leg, numerous little 
nodules could be felt, like peas or buckshot in the skin. They 
were most numerous inside the leg, and extended up almost to 
the belly. About six inches below the hock on the inside, another 
sore was found, similar in appearance to the former but smaller 
in size and covered with the same glarisy fluid, which trickled 
down the leg, gumming the hairs together. 
The right leg was not swollen but had a similar sore in the 
* Bead before tlie Montreal Veterinary Medical Association, Feb. 19,1880. 
