The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-19
THE HORSE MYSTERY.

The Spread OF the New Dtsease-The
Equine ''What IL IL s'-The Diste mp per
In the Livery Stables--The Disorder
Among the Truck Horses-New Facts
and Theories.
The new horse disease is extending its sphere
OF operations, and Ii becoming greater mystery
than ever. The horse doctors, who do not agree
as TO their comprehension OF the matter are pur-
suing the usual tactics OF their profession, prac-
tised also on men or horses of denying the exist
ence OF anything which they do not understand.
They do not understand the prevalent horse
disease, and 30 they deny is altogether. OF where
they cannot absolutely deny, they ignore 1t or
poob-pOon II.
One horse doctor answered the HERALD repre-
sentative that 1t was simply the usual spring
lever incident 10 this time OF year. Another doc
tor asserted that 1t was only the ''pinkeye" IN
modified form. third said that the seat OF the
disease is entirely in the stomach OF those
anected-a species OF Indigestion. Only one had
the irankness TO own that the complaint puzzled
HIM, and ne did not know that anybody exactly
understood H."
The horse doctors differ also in their prognosis
as well as IN their diagnosis. Some OF the pater-
nifty declare that the disease Is OF an essentially
mild type, runs its course in very few days,
never kills. really amounts to nothing ut all, and
that the horse does not suffer 1T all; that 1t
merely feels dun, languid, under the
weather. rather sleepy, rather disprited like q
ward politician between elections Other doctors,
however insist that IN this disease the horse
suffers Intensely with aa aching pain alternating
with colo spasIns, and that 1t has already proved
III many instances 1atal.
One prominent horse doctor insists that the
disease Is form Of hing lever Another Is equally
certain that IL Is case OF catarrhal fever. THIS
latter opinion Is rapidly gaining ground and inds
advocates ia nNAp ar M tha
affected who are having their animals treated Tor
this complaint
me number Of horses affected on the Seventh
avenue ana Broadway CITY railroad line has dim
lnlshed somewhat during the last TWO days. The
throughout their sickness, but only to a limited
degree, making only one or two round trips day
during their lliness. The situation on the Third
avenue, the SIKH avenue and the Eighth avenue
lines remains about the same.
A representative Of the HERALD has visited va
rious OF me livery stables IN the city during the
past two days ana has found that the disease has
spread among them, and Is increasing, rather than
The stable Of Mr.. Beck, NO. 81 Wooster street,
has been gone through withn as he expresses it,
with the disorder, the majority Of horses having
been seriously anected by 1t, though they nave all
recovered. lnere the horses have been ''let &C.
vereiy aione;n everything has been trusted to ma
the otS me0.ca~1r nature has been vndicated
also undergone the visitation. though to a COM
paratlvely light degree. About twenty horses
nave experienced the disease.
NeSOlt ~ Ruden whose stables are In Washing
ton street, nave been large sufferers; the majority
Of their horses having been severely attacked.
tarrhal fever have been strongly marked.
I'he stables OF Jarvis Co., In Jersey City, have
also suffered all their horses having been attacked.
Numerous other instances could be cited. In TACT
out o! twenty-one establishments visited only two
have been found to be exempt from the disorder.
rather peculiar case mas occurred. horse, one
OF the best In the stables, has been attacked twice
Ike s time the animal was c 81 ~, swe sx xs
In the second case the attack lasted for half that
period. In this Instance the horse seemed to suf-
fer almost precisely AS II anected with guinsy sore
throat He refused lo0d altogether, avoided water,
but did not lose nesh In every but this the an
lma af1ecred became very thn but in this instance
the horse was after the second attack even nesher
than ~ 1rst HIS joints, however, became remark
ably stiG; he was unable to move. 1t was as II he
had been stricken with rheumatism. lie did not
seem to suffer any, but was throughout the at
tacks as lnanimate as log.
~ well; when the next feeding time comes he win
not eat; he Will not drink; his lower hind limos
order is in full orce tin at last 1t ceases almost as
peared.
One strange fact has been verified by experience
during the last few weeks the disorder attacks
only horses OF certain age. Young horses and
horses below eight or nine years are compare
lively unafrected by it; and females are less sus-
ceptible to 1t than males.
Out Of sixty-thres horses affected BY the disor,
eleven were over .tne years OF age
Out Of seveEty-one nGc.es onected on the Eighth
avenue line nfty-twO were over twelve years OF
age, and none OF the balance were less than seven
years.
Out Of the first sixty three above mentioned
forty-fve were males, and of the second set OF
seventy.one there were -four males, thus serv
ing to show the correctness OF the general deduc-
lions.
MI Beck, who has been all his life horse jockey,
insists that IN che majority of cases the complaint
Is simply very bad cold, owing to the sudden
and great change Ia the weather, from an open
and mild winter to the intense cold Of last week.
He holds that chest protectors could be rem
dered available, though others differ altogether
from this opinion.
In all cases, SO far, the Kidneys have been af-
fected and the loins have been CONSTRUCTED; there
has been shrinking OF the lower parts and an
inclination on the part OF the animal to lie down.
Nttre and saltpetre have been given in all cases
with advantage.
The real nature OF the disease still remains, II
not Absolutely mystery, at least decidedly I'M
settled point and It's future seems to be equally
uncertain. Some say that the worst is over, while
Others, equally experienced, affirm that the worst
Is yet to come and that the disease is yet des
tined TO become as widespread, II not as destruc-
tive the eDiZOOtc.