Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-11-12

| EPIzooTIC EPIDEMIC-When in the no.
tice we made last week of the rapid spread OF
this equine malady, we expressed the apprehen-
sion that it would soon reach this portion of our
State we did not think it would be here so soon,
| Within few days after that fear was expressed
| il was realized, and many Of the horses il this
place are now afflicted with this disease. It is
| not very fatal disease, and but few horses die
| with it, and these few, unless complicated with
other diseases, because proper care and attention
were not paid to them in time. As yet there
have been but three fatal cases here out of fifty
afflicted, and it is hoped that early and proper
treatment will prevent any more.
This disease exhausts itself in the course OF
of few weeks, so that in that time we may ex-
pect to be relieved of it. Persons in the country
need not be afraid to bring their horses to town
on account of this disease among the horses here,
for the germs of the disease are in the air and
horses do not take it from each other We pub
lished last week the symptoms and treatment as
given by L. T. Bell, Vertinary Surgeon. We
give below this week the symptoms. and treat
ment by 81. J. Cozens, Vertinary Surgeon, of
this place, as follows:
"Epizootic Catarrh or Influenza, is disease
which prevails far and wide as an epidemic, and
our community can hardly be without curiosity
to know what has been learned respecting an in
fuence, thus suddenly brought before our eyes,
and which dsturbs and slckens all our stock.
I cannot, in this limited space, attempt to rep
resent its various phases: but the three most
common are, Rheumatic, Gastrointestinal and
Catarrhal, and, as is usual with all fevers, it is
preceded by chill with staring coat, follow
ed by febrile symptoms, to wit: hot skin, loss
of appetite, increased thirst cough, weeping
ewes, dilated nostril, hurried respiration-mucu
membrane infamed, liver inactive, vital energies
Frustrated and dropping head. There being sew
eral phases of this disease, of course a correct
mode of treatment cannot be laid down for all
cases, but it is of the first importance that the
animal should be Immediately placed in warm
stable and kept as warm as possible by blanket
ing his body and bandaging his lower extremi-
ties his bowels should be kept open by bran
mashes, if he will eat or by enemas if he will
not eat.
Owing to the low or typhoid character of the
disease, stimuli should be administered from the
commencement. The patient should be kept
constantly supplied with fresh water, with occa-
sionly weak solution OF Nitrate of Potash in it:
The nostrils should be kept cleansed several
times day With warm water and the throat
dressed three times day with good counter
irritant.
In its simple form, an ordinary course OF this
disease abates of its violence after or days,
and the patient is usually convalescent before
the terminus of the week; but cough and much
debility survive the other symptoms, and while
these continue the complaint is very easily re-
newed, and is almost sure to terminate fatally,
as has already been shown by the death of an ami
NAL in one of our livery stables on Sunday night
last.
/ feel warranted in giving my opinion of
this disease to the public, as it is no new disease
to me, having assisted my preceptor In the sue
cessful treatment of hundreds of cases in Eng
land in 1856, at which time it prevailed to an
alarming extent throughout England and
France"