The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-11-07
THE EPIHIPPIC,
What the Horse Men Of Louisville
Think Of the Disease and
its Treatment.


From the Louisville Courier-JOurnal.
Scarcely any event of recent oc-
currence has been watched with so
much interest as the rapid spread Of
the epizootic, or epihippic, disease,
which first appeared in the city Of
Toronto, Canada, a few weeks ago,
and which has since then extended
it's ravages throughout the New Do
minion and the Northern and MOI tn
eastern cities of the United States
prostrating nearly ali the horses in
the places which it has visited, and
causing a general obstruction OF
business and immense personal in
convenience from the ineapacity OF
the animals to perform their accus-
toned work.
Rumors from day to day have
been circulated that the pest had
appeared in this city. These ru-
mors have risen partly from excite
ment and partly from the resem-
biance of other diseases to the one
the approach of which is so much
dreaded by horsemen. We are able
positively to state that up to last
night the disease had not visited
Louisville in the form which it has
done so much damage in other
cities.
The complaint is not by any
means a new one. as it has made
frequent ravages in Europe, and for
several years past has been more or
Iess prevalent in various sections of
the United States. In.,the year
1855 it made its appearance in the
stables of one of the largest Omni-
Jus proprietors Of Philadelphia, and
some nine horses died in about
two weeks. According to many of
our best local authorities 1t prevailed
here in a slightly modified form
during the latter half Of the war.
The disease is known to the vet
Urinary profession as epizootic ca
tarrh, or influenza. Its symptoms
are 81 various in different animals,
no two cases being precisely alike,
that a variety Of opinions are cur
rent concerning it and its nature,
and, as n consequence, various 9th
or maladies, such as catarrh, bron-
chitis, pneumonia, distemper, and
quinsy, are often COMPOUNDED with
it. Some years ago horsemen were
in the habit of calling the complaint
pink eye distemper. and many re
garded it as incurable; but no 9th
er disease yields more readily to
proper treatment. 1t commences
with slight watery or thin mucous
discharge FROM the nostrils; matter
collects in the inner C rner of the
eyes; the eye-lid on the inner side
assumes a slight yellOwish-red col
or; the pulse becomes feeble, with
occasional paralysis Of the hind ex
tremities; the membrane of the
nose becomes redeemed, and fur
ther symptoms are sore throat, ex.
ccssiye debility, hard cough, heart
sometimes violently agitated, TANKS
hcaving, constipation of the bowels,
and feet sometimes hot This de
scriptioR of the symptoms is from
the best authority, and is the result
of actual observation.
MR.. ALEXANDER HARTHILL,
veterinary surgeon, is sure that the
Canadian disease has not reached
here. He thinks it improbable that
it will do so. He bases his opinion
on the fact that it has previously
prevailed ia the North and East,
while, to the best of his information,
the South and West have escaped
Should it come, he has little doubt
that the visitation will be much
lighter than in the North, as it will
decrease in yirulence as it moves
South. He considers that the mala-
dy has been aggravated in the North,
owing to the crowded condition Of
the larger cities necessitating the
keeping of large number of horses
in cellars and sunk stories, without
proper ventilation; whereas the sta
bles here are more airy and healthy;
also that the fatality has been there
increased by the working of ami
mails while sick. He is satisfied
that, under any circumstances, the
Inconvenience will be slight, owing
to the large number of mules en-
ploved on the street railroads and
for other pUrpOses-these animals
being generally exempt from at
tacks of the complaint. He docs
not think it possible that the pest
can appear without its first being at
Cincinnati, indianapolis or st. Lou
is. Should it arrive, there will be
no question of its presence, as num-
bcrs Of horses will be attacked 81
multaneousIy. The disease no
,loubt exists here in its sporadic
form-he had a very marked case
recently-but in the stables under
his care fewer horses are suffering
from the disease of the respiratory
organ than is usual at this season OF
the year. Scientific men have not
arrived at any decided conclusion
as to whether the contagion is prop
agated by germs in the atmosphere
or not, nor as to whether disinfect-
ants will destroy such germs, but
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