HORSE SURRA.
NATURALLY CONTRACTED.
CASES
I,II,III.
These three cases of Surra marked I, II and III were considerably advanced before
they came under observation. The horses were the property of a gentleman, living out
at Pali Hill, Bándra, near Bombay, and had all been submitted to the same conditions
as regards climate, locality, water and fodder, and although the cases occurred in
1890, Case No. LXV, dated June 1892, may be read at the same time with advantage
in connection with them, as the two stables, in which the cases occurred, are only a few
hundred yards apart. The water, which is supposed to have been the vehicle by which the
contagium was carried in the two outbreaks, was obtained from wells of the same description,
the water in which had become low and turbid during the hot weather. This being the case,
the notes, which accompany Case LXV, are applicable to the above three. The owner of
these horses was conversant with the fact that by supplying his animals with grass grown
on low marshy ground he was running a considerable risk of introducing Surra amongst
them, and he had, therefore, for sometime previous to this outbreak, taken the precaution
of obtaining all the requisite grass from as near the highest point of the surrounding hills
as possible. Taking all this into consideration, it appears to be extremely probable that the
well-water was the means by which the disease was introduced.
CASE No. I.—October 30th, 1890.—The subject of this case, a Grey Arab horse, 7 years
old, arrived from Bombay on the 29th October 1890. He is said to have been ill for about 6
or 7 weeks ; the pulse is 44, temp. A.M. 35.5° C., P.M.39.5° C. and the animal is in poor condition
and weak. There is some superficial ulceration of the Schneiderian membrane of the near-nostril
and a profuse discharge of thick mucus flowed from the off-nostril. The gait is staggering :
the rectum is patent and there is an almost constant escape of flatus from it. The breathing-
is slow and abdominal in character. There are numerous and active hæmatozoa in the blood.
October 3lst.—The patient appears weaker, the ulceration in the near-nostril has increas-
ed in extent and the discharge from the off-nostril is more copious than yesterday. On ac-
count of the dilated condition of the rectum the temperature could not be taken. Hæmatozoa
are swarming in the blood, but none could be found in the mucus from the nostril. At 9-30 A.M.
the horse fell. The temperature was found to be 36.5 0 C. at this time. At 10 A.M. death
occurred.
AUTOPSY at 12-30 P.M.—Body emaciated, tissues blanched, a small number of parasites
(ascaris megalocephala) found free in the abdominal cavity. The Schneiderian membrane
presents a congested and thickened appearance over the turbinated bones. This condition
gave rise during life to a peculiar snuffling noise in breathing. Liver apparently healthy.
Kidneys and spleen somewhat soft, stomach contracted and containing some fluid ingesta.
The cuticular portion thickened to three or four times its normal thickness, villous portion
congested ; there are several large ecchymoses dotted over the surface of the villous portion,
purple in colour. The small and large intestines present several congested and ecchymosed
patches in their course, but there is no sign of inflammation, The mucous membrane of the
small intestine appears somewhat thickened and contains a yellow viscid fluid.
Remarks.—The disease had reached a very advanced stage previous to the animal's
arrival at the Laboratory, and he only lived two days after admission.
The chief points of interest in this case are :—
(i) The superficial ulceration of the Schneiderian membrane of one nostril and the
profuse discharge of thick mucus from the other.
(ii) The patent condition of the rectum, which is often noticed a few days before death
and generally continues until the end.
(iii) The snuffling respiration due to the thickened condition of the membrane cover-
ing the turbinated bones.
(iv) The ecchymosed condition of the villous portion of the stomach and the patches
or groups of petechiæ found lying on the mucous membrane of the large and small
intestines, principally the latter.
CASE No. II—October 3047., 1890 —The subject of this case, a Bay Arab Gelding, 8 years
old, arrived from Bombay on the 29th October 1890. He is in very poor condition, weak and
B 1086-2 ap