New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-23
The Ru!zoOtic Influenza.

The Ep.zOOtic Influenza.
We have been favored with the following
memoranda concerning the epizootic intin
snza among horses in New York during the
wear 1872. compiled by DR.. z. II. James
sanitary superintendent Of the New TorG
Board of Health. The extracts We give
are from tho advance sheets OF the report
of the board, now going through the press
Tho disease first attracted attention al
Toronto, Province of Ontario, Dominion OF
Canada. In regard to its origin the follow
ing extract from letter written by Andrew
smith surgeon of the Ontario Veterinary
College at Toronto will he of interest. on
November 90, 1872, Dr. Smith writer:
THE disease first appeared III this dis
trict in an epihootic form about the end OF
September, although possibly a few $50
lated cases may have existed short tine
previous. On Monday. the thirtieth OF
September, found fourteen horses affected
in one stable, and in three days afterwards
am confident that three fuuIths Of all the
horses in this district were affected
On December 7, 1872, he writes: AS !
etated in my former letter, as far as ] can
ascertain tbe disease originated in this dis
trict, and gradually extended in every di-
teGtion" In conclu-
sion NAV again ,ta:c that from recent in
Guiries am convinced the disease first APP
peared in this neighbOrhOod.'
Having appeared in the towns and cities
living on all sides of Toronto, the disease
made lite appearance in NeV York on the
tWenty-tirst of October.
The following extract il from the report
Of Alex. +. Liantard, VI. D., veterinary sur
GeOn Of the health department:
ION the morning of October -, Only
few animals were affected, but on the morn
ing OF the twenty-second I doubt if there
was single animal of the FAM y equidF
which was not attacked. Horses, mules,
and even zebra belonging to meDagerie.
we're affected almost simultaneously. More
than %, 600 animals were suffering in d fer.
ont degrees, and il became evident that
the disease was influenza OF the catarrhal
form
An examination Of the reports made 20 the
bureau Of sanitary inspection after the dis
ease was established, shows. first, that with
scarcel, an exception, all the horses in the
city were affected by the disease; second,
that the symptoms appeared suddenly, not
only invading nearly all the stables at once.
but simultaneously affecting nearly all the
horses in each stable; and third. that the
disease attacked impartially the we'll
housed and well fed, and those exposed TO
hardship.
The symptoms, duration. complications,
Pr0gnosis and treatment are considered III
the following extracts from Protesso. Liam.
tard's report, above referred e.:
SYMPTOMS.
The symptoms presented by the cases Of
simple influenza in the city Of New York
have been, with few exceptions the follow
lng: Rigors, febrile action, impaired apDe-
lite, sneezing, cough, nasal discharge ac-
tolerated respiration, weak and eompInssi.
BILE pulse, dry faces.
The attack was very sudden; the a,;na:
EOuld be apparently well IL the evening
end sick the next morning. The chIls were
generally followed by profusc perspiration.
There WAS repeated sneezipg. The cough
%as hard, difficult, dry and spasmodic, even
to such an extent as to threaten sutfOcaton.
an the majority of cases there was an album
dant discharge from Que Of both Hostril-,
Rrst mucous. atterward muCO-lurulent in
character. This low was rendered more
profuse by an excessive Hexion of the head.
sometimes the discharge appeared entirely
purulent, and was often expelled after q
2aroxysm of coughing or sneezing in large.
cheesy masses In these cases the frontal
and maxillary sinuses were principally
affected. These symptoms were usually az
tended with more ot less icbrils action.
though in some cases this was absent.
The larynx and intermediary organs
were painful, and pressure upon them was
followed by spell of painful coughing
respiration was more or less accelerated
and difficult, depending in the first stage of
she disease on the diseased condition OF the
anterior air-pass8ges. The pulse was pecu-
mar, sometimes forty TO fifty per minute.
seldom more than seventy In all caSes il
was very weak and GOmpressible. The
temperature of the rectum varied from
sOlo Fahrenheit to 1869. IN exceptional
instances 1t was as high as l06' or 1912.
Thermometrlc observations indicated that
Che temperature varied very much in the
different stages Of the disease. From 1919
1T would increase TO I0i or 1863 in a few
hours. and then decrease to 1922. these.
oscillations being noticed as long as the dis
ease lasted. In some cases the temperature
remained above 1902 Tor Gome time after the
animal had recovered
Loss of appetite was often the first svInp
Com, and loss or impairment OF the appetite
occurred in every case with very few excep.
sions In many cases. when dry food was
refused the appetite could be excited by
9roviding fresh carrots, JuTnlps. apples OF
potatoes, raw or bolleds
The ocular mucous membranes varied in
appearance, in some cases bel1g normal, IN
Others slightly cODgested, and III many
eases showing q we'll marked yelIoWlsh nue.
The mouth was sometimes very warm ana
siry. but in many cases ii was quite normal.
with the exception OF an abundant Tow Of
Shick saliva
The submaxilliarv iyIhphatic glands were
slightly enlarged and painful, but saw only
Dne case in which these glands supperateG.
The thyroid bodies were more or less en-
arged.
passed with difficulty; occasionally they