The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-20
HORSE TALK.


what the Doctors say OF the New Dis
~sse-As Least one-Tensh or the Horses
ia New York Anected-A Widely Pre-
vailing Epidemie-NShat the Sporting
Men say-some Interesting Facts-Are
We ca Have "a uorse-Pingue!
Out OF sixteen stables large ana small. private
and public visited by HERALD representative
yesterday. all but three had been attacked by one
or more cases OF the new complaint.
Anxious 90 get at the root OF the matter. the
HERALD representative. after his tour OF inspec-
ton through the stables. called at the ONCE OF DR..
Copeland. the veterinary surgeon, and asked for
his views concerning the new horse disease and
for any new facts In relation 10 II.
According TO this gentleman a disease precisely
similar 20 that now prevailing among the horses OF
New York broke out among the horses in Great
Britain IN 1887. Just as now, so then the eyes
began 10 swell, the horse lost mesh. refused food
and drink aud was unable 10 work. At that time
bleeding vogue, and every horse affected
by the disorder subjected 10 tins treatment,
which, IN the majority OF cases killed the patients
But now a different treatment being pursued and
the horse being lett to nature, the majority Of the
patients recover.
According to the doctor the disease
itself Is "A peculiar kind OF influenza. II the
horse Is left alone the disease VIII run Its course
with safety; but II during its course the animal Is
exposed to draught, or II IL is worked" then the
most serious consequences Will ensue. several
deaths have already occurred, not from the disease
Itself, but from exposure and from oyerwork
several OF the city railroad companies have
ignored the existence OF the complaint In
their horses ana have lost "A number of ANNALS
IN consequence. As for the number OF horses
affected at the present time, the doctor assured
u representative OF the HERALD that 1t was much
larger tnan was generally supposed III have been
''FIFTY OCCASIONAL VISITS DAY
Tor the last two weeks, and all my cases, with
the prevailing complaint'-this peculiar innu-
enza just alluded TO- Other horse doctors
has deliberate opinion that at least
one-tenth OF the horses III the city were affected
to truck horses. several cases OF line stock beng
afflicted by the ailment have already occurred 1t
takes horses OF all conditions ana seems to be In
dependent OF the usual sanitary conditions. The
doctor also insisted strenuously that the disease
was
in its nature, inst az was its analogue in 1881 The
history OF the present disease, as weil as It's pine
n0mena, attest It's infectious character. IL broke
out on the LIST day OF February III "A horse on the
Tenth Avenue Railroad line; then attacked
number OF horses on that line; then seized horses
on the Eighth avenue line, ana even reached tnose
on the Sixth avenue road.
AS regards the probable future OF the disorder,
the Doctor thinks that IL viii become worse before
IL gets better. He calculates that the disorder
viii spread over the city and affect to q greater or
less degree all stables unless indeed there should
be change to tine weather, IN which case tGe ds-
ease would probably disappear. Other veterinary
surgeons agree with the general principles and
ideas Just stated. Dr. O'Shea, Dr. Bud, DR.. Grice,
DR.. Farley and others, though differing as TO the
precise nature OF the complaint yet agree that the
disease partakes of the nature OF a severe cold,
that 1t is Infectious that 1t must run It's course,
that 1t is spreading rapidly and that rest and ma
ture are the great remedies. DR.. Budd has treated
the disease III the stables in Washington street as
variety OF
CATARRHAL FEVER.
Dr. O'Shea has treated the cases in the stables OF
Sullivan street for cold, and the other doctors
last thoroughly awake to the TACT that there Is
disease, and they agree in the main details OF its
treatment. Among sporting men the disease has
not yet attracted much attention, as lew OF the
racing stock have been at all as yet affected.
John ChamDerin is firmly convinced That the
disease viii be confined TO ''low class horses" an
opinion in which Is joined by many Otner horse
theory OF the disorder which is, that it Is wholly
caused by the pernic,ous custom Of sailing the
tracks" custom in which the city car companies
persist spite OF the ordinances upon the SUBJECT.
He holds that horse can endure the effect OF this
detestable custom long, and expresses himself
to the effect that II
THE CAR COMPANIES
were to lose hall their horses 1t would "Serve
them right Wayne Hovey, who has written con-
slderabiy on the horse holds that the present ais
order Is probably the beginning OF an epidemic
which Will ere long astOnsn even the New Yorker |;
whlle ON the other hand, BidgoOd, who h as been
with horses all MS life, ana Is now III Charge OF
several hundred animals, many OF whom are run
down with the disorder, insists that "Or all the
grants that II IS IAN uncommon coldn And thus
the matter stands at present,