The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-10-29
Henry Bergh on the Horse Epi-
demic,

10 tie Editors Of tho Euening Post.
The terrible epidemic at this time pre-
vailing among horses here and elsewhere,
and which threatens TO paralyze trade
and locomotion, If not arrested, has caus-
ed the undersigned TO institute inquiries
as to the most etilcacious means Of treat
ing the afflicted animals, and the follow
ing advice and suggestions are recon-
mended, being the results Of the expert
Cnce Of eminent surgeons attached to the
society, along with others equally skiltul:
That the disease is influenza, in an ag-
gravated form, seems TO be selE-evident,
and the remedies usually employed inthe
treatment Of the human patient are found
to be most serviceable In the case of tile
horse. Complete rest, warm blankets,
non-exposure to drafts Of air, disintect-
ants, and total absence OF bleeding and
prostratiug cathartics, as q rule, should
be observed. Twenty or thirty drops Of
tincture OF iron, in gill Of Jamaica rum,
diluted with water, and given every four
hours, In order to preserve the strength
OF the horse; or, the tincture OF arnica
will produce relief. A plaster bound
around the throat, composed of one por-
ton Of Cayenne pepper and two Of fax.
seed, mixed with vinegar, Is excellent.
Frequently remove the fetld discharge
from the nostrils, always using warm wa
ter. Another: perfect rest, clean stable,
tempting diet, aud stimulating Imminent
applied 10 the throat. Another remedy
Is rest, comfortable bedding, bandaging
the Gxtremities, fumigationS Of boiling
water to assist the discharge at the nose,
with cough mixture OF liQuorice root and
molaSscs. Administer tonics and stimu.
lants If appetite fails and weakness en-
sues. .s.
There is q moral as well as material as
pect 10 the present subject, and the mo.
ment seems Opportune to allude TO it.
That the horse, the most generous and
indispensable servant OF mankind, Is, as
q rele, in our country, held in lower es
Innate than elsewhere, and more gener.
ally INDEPENDENTLY by large corpor-
atiOns-among their inanimate property
must be conceded. With many such Il
is mere question Of money, and the
only point Of interest to the stockholders
being the one which indicates the divi.
dend, the question Of humanity Is not an
active principle; and hence the disabled
horse, and the disabled car or stage, are
placed In the same category! Indeed
the careful housing, washing, oiling OF
the senscless vehicle has often appeared
To me TO DO In marked contrast to the In.
adequate consideration bestowed on the
weary, manned and emaciated creature
which. with dropping head and suppllcat,
ing look, remains In the pelhng storm, or
Is domiciled in the damp, dark, loul.
smelling cellar below the street.
This is not only Improbable, It Is some.
thing more-it is crime. The horse,
ever since his domesticatiOn. has been one
OF the greatest elements OF human pro-
ercss and happiness, and 1t is not exagger'
atinC his Importance TO say that civilIza-
ton would DO almost impossible without
him. Pray heaven this truth may never
be made practically evident by the on.
Inhalation Of this precious friend Of Our
race. % hA7G,J
Hislced, moreover, which should be 81
the best quality, is gcneraly q compost
ton wherein economy is most conspicuous
and this IL furnished TO animals which
are compelled to travel eighteen or twenty
miles every. day. Tho question again
presents itself which has been so otter
urged before, may not dummy engines
take the place Of, or supplement the servi
ces Of the horseS Two or three inVen
tlons, combining all the requirement