Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-08-29
Eplzootie.


There seems to be amongst the COM
munity an odd but widespread misap-
prehension regarding the significance of
this word, "eplzootic," so that it is now
commonly considered to describe and
define a certain disease amongst horses 4
whilst its real significance is entirely
lost sight of; hardly a week passes that
we are not asked to look at a horse
which the owner thinks must have the
Sepizootic." 1t really denotes the
prevalence Of any one disease amongst
animals, corresponding to an epidemic
amongst people: thus there may be an
epizootic Of plura-pneumonia amongst
cows, of cholera amongst hogs, of abor-
tion amongst ewes, Or Of influenza
amongst horses, just as there may be
an epidemic of smallpox, measles or
scarlet fever amongst humans. The
disease with which our horses have so
generally been affected al two different
periods within the past four years is,
then. influenza or catarrhal fever and
not ''epizoot." AS we are again APP
preaching the fall of the year at which
time this disease has heretofore made
its general and remarkable appearances,
little about the histories Of similar out
| l,ool-. -, ,b:e o,,d a+y,a, caI,pfyiaS op6
the general causes Of influenza may not
be uninteresting or inopportune. Ithas
a very early history. 1t 1899 it appear
ed in Seville. where ''it killed more than
one thousand horses, and seemed to be
| incurable." In 1913 it broke out
amongst the horses Of the French army
in Germany. In 1888 it was prevalent
over the whole Of Europe, affecting both
men. and horses; in 1899 Europe and
America suffered from the disease, and
again in 1882; in 1857 it once more ap-
peared in both hemispheres, when 1t is
recorded that both horses and dogs suf-
fered from it. SIN l776, after very
severe winter and warm summer, infiu-
enza spread over Europe. attacking
horses and dogs first and human beings
after. Poultry died in great numbers /;
it was very severe in New York and
caused great mortality amongst the
horses Of Maryland" During the pres
ent century it has ragged with varying
degrees Of vwulenee in 1S49-5O and
1864 and 1912 in London, and in
1928 in this country. when it broke
out in Toronto, Canada, on Oct. l,
1872. In days it had attacked nearly
all the horses in the city. On October
18th it reached Montreal on the 18th.
Buffalo; 18th, Rochester; 23d, Boston.
New York. Brooklyn and Jersey City
9th, Philadelphia; 28th, Washington {;
and again in October, 1875, there was
au outbreak which. however, was much
less intense and widespread than the
one Of ~ just referred to. It is singu-
larry prevalent in some seasons. and al.
though it will exhibit general character
istics ia common, yet the epizootic OF
one year will be marked by some par
ticular symptom or symptoms which will
be entirely wanting in the outbreak Of
the following year. Horses Of large
cities and crowded towns are more OBJ
noxious to it than those of the country
and III the country those are most liable
to it that are the most confined. The
attack is attended with great and early
loss Of strength and with early infama-
ton Of the membrane lining the nose
and throat and the digestive organs are
itable.-ScienfJfc Farmer.