New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-23

is from two to three weeks, after which the
animal can resume his work. In few
cases it disappeared altogether in eight or
ten days, while in others more than a
month elapsed before the nasal discharge
had entirely ceased.
COMPLICATIONS.
The most common complications were
thoracic. Pleurisy and pneumonia destroyed
large number OF animals. The history OF
such cases invariably showed that the ami
mails were put TO work while suffering with
the influenza. A few cases OF tympanltlS
and of collie from impacted food, or from
indigestion were also observed, but none
proved fatal. The nervous system was al
fected in few cases in the form OF cerebal
| or spinal meningitis. In these the result
, proved quite satisfactory.
Many of she hard worked animals were
| attacked with! purpura hemerrhagica tthe
! NAL de tete de contagion, or ana9aTque OF
| the FreDch), and large number of these
cases terminated fatally. In the.e cases
! the drOpay was general and excessive. The
mucous membrane of the nasal passages
| and OF the eyes was marked with petechiae.
| The nasal discharge became bloody. As
| the odema of the eXtremities increased
the skin cracked and permitted the blood to
ooze through IL. Loconotion was difficult,
| nasticatiOn impossible. Tie temperature
was high and the pulse weak, cOmpressible
small and soft, NUN boring from fifty TO
seventy-fve per minute. The respiration
WAS accelerated and slow, and an offensive
Odor was ezhaled from the nostrils.
Many animals We're destroyed under the
impression that they were affected with
glanders or farcy. This complication usu-
ally terminated in death after a period
varying from teV hours to four o. five
days
HtfnatuIla often existed, either as q
primary symptom or as a complication, but
never. assumed serious nature Severe
attacks of acute laminitis OF two or four ex-
tremitles were often seen.
Another complication OF frequent Oc-
currenCe, not serious in character, and con
fined to horses reduced by hard work, poor
food and bad .tabing, was ndema Of the
eytremities. extending from the knee or
hook down to the hoof. This Gdema. which
was often mistaken for the dropsical vel
ing OF purpurS bsmOrI hagica, disappea red
with a little exercise, and appeared as soon
! as the animal was returned to the stable.
This complication permanently disappeared
as .oon as the animal fegained lite appetite
and strength.
PRoGSOsIs.
Influenza being essentially debIiita.ine in
its nature, the animals which succumbed to
the disease did so from exhaustion, induced
by the excessive work to which they had
been subjected. or they died from eompli
cations.
Sometimes after the disease hal subsidized
o relapse occurred, and careful observation
sho wed that this is to be attributed 10 neg
lcct OF hyglenic measures, or that il occur
red during the existence Of untsyOgable
atM0,phesicsi conditions.
TREATMENT.
The treatment of influenza must be II as
cordancs with the symphonic. During the
simple catarrhal form OF the disease the
diet should consist of dry or boiled oats
mashes, Oat. rye ot corn meal Cruel, roots
and fruits. These articles should be varied
and given il small quantities. The temper
allure should be regulated by blanketing,
bandaging the sxtremities and genera! or
local friction. Good ventilation should be
secured and disinfectants used in modera-
ton. In the ma Ority Of cases the hygienic
measures above mentioned, together with
rest, will prove entirely sufficient TO effect
. cure Rest il OF the utmost importance:
without it the animal will scarcely escape
some of the sequels Of the.disease. Expert
encs has Taught ne that rest is of para
mount Importance, for all those animals
whose labors we're suspended as soon as
they were taken sick, escaped complications
and resumed work in a few days. On the
other hand, large mortality occurred
among railroad and stage horses.
Many OF these animals being kept con-
stanuy at work were attacked by ,erious
complications, purpura acknowledged be-
ing the most frequent. and. perhaps. the
most fatal
If the thrca. is swollen and painful slim
ulating liuiinents, mustard applications and
blisters must be used Fumigatiuns with
boiling wafer and with dec0ctions of poppy
heade or marsh mallow leaves, with the adj
ministratioD ot tlectuaries of beIIadouns
render the cough less painful, and if mixed
with some preparation of anthony, such
as kermes mineral, facilitate expectOratiOn.
A sndeHcy TO constipation may require in
jeCtiOns containing soap or sulphate OF soda
Bleeding sedatives, purgatives and setons
must be entirely laid aside, or, when resort
ed to. j: shGI I'D be with great discretion.
The practitioner should ever bear in mind
that this affection is essentially OF an as
.henic character. AS there is debility al
most at the very outset, the disease re-
quires, not anti phlOgistic measures, but
supporting treatment almost from the be-
ginning. This is especially the case if the
appetite rs impaired. the pulse weak and
small and The walk staggering Under
these conditions dtfusibe stimulants, such
al preparations OF ammonia or camphor,
combined with vegetable tonics, such as
gentian or clhchOna, are indicated
Drenches of ale or of brandy have been
successfully administered, but they must be
used with care on account of the laryngiti.
which sometimes exists.
The complications must be met with such
treatment as each case may require. The
treatment adopted by me in purpura hem
orrhaglca included stimulating trictions 20
the dwellings. lamentations of decCctiOns
of aromatic plants, drenches of bitter and
aromOtIc tonics, such as chamOmile or
.lGeT GOw.r tea, and sterilization when
necessary. Peruvian bark or gentian was
used in combination with mineral tonics
especially the sulphate, phosphate, or
iodlde Of iron, or, in some cases, with the
bi-sulphate o: soda. or few drops OF car
bOlic acid.
These combinations were given AZ pow
der-. o: pills, or in drenches. according 20
the appetite and the facility OF deglutition.
The hypodermic injection OF qunine and
citrate OF iron has been successfully en-
poyed. Diuretics may also be adminis
tered. Of these, olerim terelintbipR, in
ounce doses is perhaps the best. In larger
doses it is liable to give rise 10 abdominal
troubles. II diuretios Ere used, the uri-
nary secretion is to be carefully watched,
So IS - avoid hematuria, which very
often appears.
Where the rurulens collection in the
slnuses IS very abundant and the frontal
bone displaced by she pressure of the pus.
and when respiration is thus impedtd,
would recommend trephining. a simple
operation, aftording immediate relief, not
attended with danger, and leaving no dis
fguUenent after clcatrization.
MORTALITY IN NEW YORK.
The average weekly mortality among
horses in New York is eighty-nine This |
estimate is made withou: taking into sc.
count the months of June, July, August and
September, when the death-rate of horses,
as well as of mankind, is augmented by the
high temperature of summer. The effect of
the epizootic of 1872 on the death. rate of |