The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-11-16
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THE HORSE IFLUENZY.

yhE NURSE 1t LUENLxs
Although this outburst of horse influen-
"a among us is its first appearance in the
United States of America, it is unlikely
that it will be its last; and, although much
has been written on the subject, further
admonition is necessary, in that during
the past few days several deaths have &C.
Cured. In all of these cases we feel conf
dent that the horses have succumbed to
bad veterinary practice, to ill-treatment,
or to complication of diseases, never to
simple horse influenza. 1t is not danger
GUS. and never in itself fatal. The horse
influenza appears in the Spring and Au-
tumn months after cold, dry Winter, or
hot, dry Summer, when the following
months are damp and chill; worse still if
the atmosphere should be foggy. Now,
this was exactly the condition of our
weather when the horse influenza broke
out among our car and stage horses. From
them it spread to all the work horses of
this City, even into livery-stables, where
the inmates enjoy comparative comfort
and only few isolated stables escape, and
these same were only saved by precaution-
ary measures. The normal condition OF
the disease is, that it runs its course in
from five to seven days; the abnormal con-
ditions are, that it is checked in three
DAYS, or runs on for ten or fifteen days.
The treatment is most simple. Steam the
sick animals head in this manner: Put a
small lock of hay in the bottom of an Or
binary timber bucket-we prefer timber to
metal, it being non-conductor of heat;
then pour on this hay sufficient boiling
water to saturate it thoroughly, and to
cause it to send off volume OF very hot
steam. To effect this the bucket should
be well scalded before the hay has been
put in. Then wrap the scalding mass in a
thick blanket, place it at convenient
height under the animals head, and, as
soon as his first fears are quieted, draw a
coarse towel across the horses face below
the eyes. This towel should hang loosely
over the front of the steaming buchet, but
should be quite open at the back. In this
manner the warm, damp air will be breath
ed into the nestrils of the horse, while the
foul air that has passed through his lungs
will freely escape behind. Never steam a
horses head by putting hot bran into a
bag and then drawing it tightly over the
head and neck of the wretched beast
Death has often ensued from this inhuman
practice. When the sack has been with
drawn, the eyes are red and swollen, the
brain is surcharged with blood, and the
lips and roof of the mouth are frequently
found to have been scalded, besides all of
which the animal thus treated has swallow
ed an immense amount of poison-having
breathed and rebreathed again and again
the contaminated air which has been &C
tually poisoned in his own system. Only
in severe cases should medicine be resorted
to, and then small doses should be given.
From go to 80 grains of tartar emetic, mix
ed with from 100 to $50 grains of finely
powdered nitre, these to be administered
in a small mash of warm coarse wheaton
bran; give these quantities for three sue
cessive nights, then desist. Let the diet
be nourishing and laxative, and easy of as
sanitation; also let it be warm and largely
liqui-form. Many veterinary practitioners
have recommended doses of aconite, bel
ladonna, nux vomica. and digitalis. None
of these drugs are good in horse influenza.
Sedatives are not needed. A slight action
of the skin, brought about by gentle means,
is certain to effect cure, if only coupled
with total rest and good care. We have
already recommended stables to be disin-
fected, because generally American sta
bles are Augean- like in their filthy condi-
ton; but stables we'll kept need no further
cleansing. Where disinfectants are used,
tar and birthstone fumes are good; so are
carbolic acid and chloride of lime, and
common lime-water, or even quick-lime
sprinkled in corners and crevices. Many
owners of stimulating nostrums and condi-
ton powders have seized this moment to
thrust their noxious mixtures and COM
pounds on the unwary public; against any
SuCu llk0 dhu iuiAbuASS W. "ooi>A w
pecially warn farmers; their horses could
not possibly derive any benefit from them,
and would run the risk of serious harm.
Brood mares and young stock that are out
at pasture, if not infected by contact with
sick horses, or by being placed in stalls
where sick horses have stood, are little
subject to horse influenza, being exempt
from the exciting causes, such, as undue
fatigue and sudden chills after work.
Again, their food is laxative and their
systems free from other diseases. When
stock running at pasture show any of the
first symptoms of horse influenza, take
them up at once, house them in cool, we'll
ventilated barns, not in close, hot stables;
keep them dry and comfortable, slightly
blister the throat, and diet on warm bran
mashes and tepid drinks. In these cases
medicine need rarely be resorted to. We
would not recommend such animals to be
blanketed; the sudden change of tempera-
ture thereby caused would be too severe; a
deep, dry beding of straw would be all
that could be required to make the animal
comfortable, and to hasten their recovery.
N. Y. Times.