ABSTRACTS
415
is violent pains, rolling on the ground, groaning, sweating and sudden collapse. Dis-
tension of the stomach by gas is given the picturesque name of " the drum ". Intes-
tinal invagination, volvulus, serious diarrhoeas, dropsy and tympanites are also clearly
described. They were treated with douches, scarifications and punctures to allow the
introduction of a reed to withdraw fluid.
Liver complaints received extensive study but those described are difficult to
identify and may be peculiar to certain regions, due to microbic or parasitical invasions
or chronic toxaemia from poisonous plants.
Infections of the respiratory tracts are only studied in their outward manifestations.
Polypus of the nose is declared frequent in horses and treated by excision or cauteri-
zation. The description of pneumonia is confused and often clearly includes glanders.
It was treated with fumigations, purgatives, bleeding and strange and complex me-
dicines.
Only those urinary troubles easy to investigate were studied. They differentiated
between dysuria, strangury and ischuria. The treatments were numerous and not
very effective, for example massage of the loins or of the full bladder through the rectum,
or the introduction of irritating substances such as salt into the urethra.
Affections of the central nervous system were studied only in their manifestations,
such as the phenomena of excitability, frenzy, epilepsy, contraction, tetanus and para-
lysis. Tetanus was confounded with exposure, a state frequent in army horses during
mountain passages in winter. It was treated by hot baths and bleeding. One form of
paraplegia, described as characterised by staggering and the emission of thick, black
urine, evidently corresponds with enzootic haemoglobinuria. Paralysis of the penis,
inguinal hernia frequent in old horses and vaginal-uterine prolapse are all described
and their treatment detailed.
Diseases of the eyes are often mentioned and appear to have been very frequent
in Asia and Africa, particularly endemic ophthalmia, conjunctivitis, ulcers of the cornea
and staphyloma. They operated upon cataract.
Dislocations, fractures and bruises were minutely studied but major fractures
were regarded as incurable. A considerable amount was known regarding ligamentary
and tendinous lesions but little of articular arthritis and "founder". Deep hoof
wounds were cut and cauterized but superficial ones were left to the care of the owner,
who cleaned them with copper sulphate. These were very common, as among the
Greeks shoeing was unknown and among the Romans, metal shoes often of silver or
gold, tied by bandages to the hoof, were mainly used only for show. The ancients
relied chiefly on keeping the stable floors, made preferably of wood, dry and clean, to
avoid serious foot troubles.
Diseases of cattle.—These did not receive the same attention as those of horses,
especially among the Greeks, who considered cattle of little importance, There were,
however, various writers who dealt with them, Elein in the third century B. C., Epi-
charmus, the " spiritual father of Pliny and Columella," in the second century B.C.
and Praxamus in the first century A.D. A Byzantine compilation called the ' Geopo-
nica' prepared by Magnon of Carthage, sums up all the agricultural knowledge that