South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-10-08
The Horse Epidcmic.


AS the horse disease is making its APP
pesrance throughout the country, the
following is from distinguished ye,e
rinsry surgeon to the New York Sports
man viii be well worth careful reading
The appearance Of the influenza a
mong our equine friends is now tho sub
ject Of a great deal of anxiety and spec
ulation as to its results among owners
Of horses.
Asst is an affection with which we
have to deal more or less every fall, and
sometimes in the spring of the year, and
there being many popular errors regard.
ing the cause and effect OF the disease, l
thought it might be interesting to give
your readers some facts regarding 81
which have probably to great extent
been overlooked.
"What is influenza? It Is poisoned
condition Of the blood, the poison ex
listing in the atmosphere. and being in.
hailed in the inspired air. Influenza oc.
ours in several forms. Sometimes the
part most affected is the mucous mem.
brane Of the windpipe. as in the epic.
Otto three years ago, sometimes the
mucous membrane Of the throat and nos.
trils are the points Of attack. as in the
present epidemic. Occasionally the en-.
tire air passages are affected. a severe
type was seen in the epidemic of cere.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS four years ago.
But III whichever form it exists the cause
Is essentially the same. the only differ
ence being, probably in the species Of
plant or spores inhaled an
When 1t is known TINT over 1000 spe.
cies OF fungi were observed by Fries, an
eminent Swedish naturalist, in a very
small space. and that some of these spe.
cies, according to the same authority,
are no larger than the 10000 Of an
inch In diameter, or about one.third az
large as the blool corpuscles it is not
to be wondered at that quantity
large enough to poison the system NAV
be absorbed. Wet seasons are also
known to be favorable to the growth of
AL vegetable matter, and especially fun.
81, and It as found that epidemic attacks
OF influenza are more common in wet
seasons and climates than in a dry at.
mosphere; for instance, they have it
to much greater extent and more Sc.
we're in England, where there exists a
very much more humid atm osphcre than
in our own climate.
bat why does it not attack all horses
alike? The answer to this question pro.
baby lies in the fact that each amin al
has its own idiosyncracv, and in some
systems the soil world be more ft for
the existence and propagation of those
organic living vegetables than in Others.
The effect of these poisonous fungi
when taken into the system, according
to Mitchell. is to produce narcotic eff
iect, and is not predominant symptom
in influenza. The sleepy, dali appear
ance is due to this cause; then there is
more or less general fever, &c. The
symptoms need not be fully described.
rs they are too well known already.
wv hat is the best mode Of treatment
when looked at from this standpoint?
As there is great tendency to conges.
ton and stoppage Of the circulation In
the small blood-vessels, and conse.
quent coagulation Of the blood, partly
from the diminished nerve force produc.
oil by the effect of the poison on the
brain, and partly from a febrile state OF
the whole system, we can only give such
agents as are known to have a solvent
effect on the blood, and also try to excite
the nervous system to healthy degree.
Ammonia is sach "a agent, and it is we'll
known that sal-ammoniac is orc of the
best agents We possess for the treatment
OF this disease; il also acts slightly on
the kidneys, thereby eliminating por.
ton Of tte poisonous matter from the
system: This agent, when given in half.
ounce doses, three times day, dissolv.
ed in gallon Of water, in which form
the patient will drink it, acts almost "a
n specific in this disease, If there is
much cough apply mustard to the throat,
feed the animal on bran mashes for
day or two, apply clothing to the sur.
face OF the body, and give them plenty
OF fresh air. and in g few days your hor-
ses will be all working again, with no
bad effects from the disease.
Yours, j. NJ. HEARD, V. S."