The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-09-30
SICK HORSES.
an .iiarming Disease Prevailing
in the East.
1 Henet:!icn OF the Epizoehc
Troubles Feared.

NJ. YORK, Sept. 20.-Within lev
DAYS = serious disease shas broken out
among the horses throughout the city. 1t
bo-IsJy on the nature Of the famous ePi-
zoo.ic Of two years ago. It is claimed that
there are ten thousand horses suffering, the
symptoms being precisely those manifested
when the epizootic first showed itself.
DrFFAIo HORSES BADLY sMITTES.
TFron the Buffalo q. " Express
Very few 0; our citizens but remember
the disease called epizootic which afflicted
the horses OF the country three years ago,
and caused such widespread discomfort
and inconyenience. A milder form Of the
endemic is now raging in this city, and
fully three-fourths Of all the horses are
suffering from Its effects.
The disease made its first appearance
here about two weeks ago. The first case
which came to the knowledge Of the veteri-
nary surgeons Of the city was that OF
horse belonging to plumber named Smith,
on Genesee street. DR.. ;. Somerville treat
ed the animal and found his ailment TO he
a genuinely developed case of epizootic.
Since then the epidemic has spread very
rapidly.
The most pronounced symptom OF the
disease is an irritating cough which seems
TO give the horse great distress. This is
usually accompanied by discharge from
the nose, though in a great many cases this
SYMPTOM does not exist. The preliminary
stages of the epizootic three years ago were
marked BY the same characteristics, only
that the discharges were HEAVIER and turned
green after few years. Most Of the afiiict-
ed horses eat well, but they appear dull
and languid. Some, on the other hand, do
not eat at all, hardly, but a very few are
unable to work. The animals are much
easier in their stalls, however, and when
driven on the road, coughing IL increased
in consequence of the irritation of the
neck by the collar. Horses moulting are
the most susceptible of the disease.
As it il the throat and respiratory Or
gans that are affected, it is apparent that
these are the parts which should be subject
ed to treatment. DR.. S. Somerville recon-
mends that the glands and throat be stimu-
lated with Imminent; and also that the ami
NAL he given regular doses Of anti-fever
Imminent. He d res not deem it advisable
TO work the Affected horses much, or ex-
pose them 10 any marked changes of tenn
perature.
The disease is not as facilitating as the
former epizootic, and there is absence of all
swelling in the head. Most of the horse
men, however, do not pursue any regular
h,,, olln,r tba e., al-
course, holding that it is nothing serious,
and Will soon wear away. But a very few
horses are rendered totally unfit for work
by its effects.
1t is safe to say that three-fourths of all
the horses in the city are affected with the
epidemic, although scarcely any percepti-
bic inconvenience 10 traffic has been caused
by il As yet.
A visit to the express barns on Exchange
street last night she we'd that out OF the
thirty-nine horses chartered there, thirty
of them are affected. The foreman saws
that many OF the horses have been cough
ing more or less all through the Summer,
and their present condition does not cause
any uneasiHess. They are all working reg
ularly, although driven slower and more
carefully than usual. Some OF them have
also been treated with liniment.
Our reporter was informed at the lower
barns OF the Street Railroad Company, on
Main street. that out of the LOG horses
stabbed there nearly all had the cough
DR.. VIM, Somerville is in attendance upon
them, and administers liniment to those
more severely afflicted. 1t is not antici-
pated that the running of the street-car
will be affected in any way, as all the sick
horses are doing their regular amount of
work. Whether the present symptoms will
develop into anything serious, remains TO
he seen.
The livery stable horses, Of course. share
in the general indisposition. Callahan re-
ports that Of his forty horses, thirty ofihem
have more or less developed symptoms OF
il. Some Of The horses were given bran
mashes when the cough first appeared, but
Nc special method of treatment has been
pursued.
In conversation with J. II. Polly, he
stated that all of his seventy horses were
affected. Within the past few DAYS the
symptoms have become more pronounced.
lie has adopted TO special course Of treat
ment, as he does not think the nature of the
disease iustifies il. Three years ago he had
eightv-fiye horses afflicted with the epizo-
otto, and brought them all through safely
by simple conservative treatment, without
the aid OF medicine or the assistance of a
veterinary surgeon.
All the experienced horsemen who have
been consulted in regard TO the epidemic,
say that they have no serious apprehen- |
sion of it. The disease is probably due to
some Subtle influence in the atmosphere,
and viii disappear when the weather
changes.
Singular as 1t may seem, great many
people seem TO he affected in a manner |
similar to the horses. An irritating seDsa-
ton in the throat causes coughing in the |
same manner As in the throats OF the horses, |
and some OF the physicians declare that the |
symptoms in both cases are traceable TO the |
same source.