New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-05
AN EPIDEMIC AMONG HORSES.
FATALITY OF CEREBRO-spINAL MENINGITIS IN a
BROOKLYN sTIEET-CAR sIABLE-IHE DISEASE

FATALITY OF CEREBR0-sPINAL MENINGITIS IN
BROOKLYN sTIEET-CAR sIABLE-THE DISEASE
NOT CONTAGIOUS.
The excitement which was aroused in the
stables a month ago by the appearance OF new horse
disease with something Of the nature of ccrebI0sphal
meningitis has been greatly allayet by the uncon1-
ons character OF the complaint. In most of the large
stables in New-York it il denied that any Of the horses
are sick widl this disease. Tie Broadway street.
car line has had five cases, but the horses
were attacked month ago. and are now
convIcscent The other ear lines have escaped hnt
few cases have been heard in their Offices OF private
horses suffering from the mplaint. Outside OF TINS
disease there has been considerable snil ring among
horses. The heavy SHOWS Of the past Winter when
made necessary doubling up'-much dreaded by the
owners OF boIses-have made it peculiarly Aard
season. The reason why doubling up comes 50 hard
upon the horses is because only few drivers can
properly manage four horse teams and the strain OF the
load falls upon the most honest pair who suffer accord
ngly Officers Of the street car companies declare that
in This way e wear and tear in horse flesh almost
ucacuabe during the heavy ana the horses are
suffering and dying in consequence IN great numbers
THE veterinary surgeon, declare the cercbto-spnal com
plant 70 the effects of the severity OF the Winter
Ab.ut 40 horses in the Gics-Ive. Stables Of the
BROOKLYN CITY Railroad Company now suffering from
the nervous diseas which broke WI among them Oh FRI
day last. On Friday aud sIturdl, - died ana twn morc
Yesterday. Only cases wer, found yesterday
and 1t is hoped that the disease viii not spread much
further although those attacked will probably DIE
or in case any survive, they will be worth but Mite
afterward. A TRIBUNE reporter visited the stables
last evening and examined the suffering animals III Tie
varous stages Of their sickness They iii two OF the
smaller stables and coarse kept entirely separate
from those that are Sill healthy. The only thing noticed
about the put IN these stables yesterday was Vo
lent trembling Of the csh between the iofelegs and On
the neck the of those attacked on saturday the
disease had spread TO the throat, which swecd and be
came SO sore that nothingcould be swallowed soon after
thcy reached this stage they became weak, and II was
necessary To ipport tnem by canvas sings passed under
meath body As they bccaInr helpless ana dd
not support any tIeir weig While suspended III these
swings, they were Land upon tAc floor, where
tney would lie tor several hours with occa-
sional spasInodic kickings or Leayy bIcdtnlng'
III tie stables Ycster iay sad th1t there was SUE pc
OF recovery when once the horse reached s condition"
LAST evening there ii lying Ddnketrd on hc Moor,
nine iigs. and the remainder mad comparatively
Ignt symptoms. Until the throat becomes sore ana
swollen they eat heartily a. wiirn well. Inc
veterinary surgeons that the disease almost exactly
tae same as the cercb.OsIlidi mcninSitlS "!hch
attacks men ana develops itseii III about l' sam ma
ncr 10 generally believed 10 ne contagious Du'
caused by an unhealthy or ntlrlh Cohdll!"h Oh me
atmosphere. One WHO is familiar WIN al lie car StabcH
Brooklyn said Yesterday that thi0 attack was Nlup'
less caused by condition OF the Gates Avenue Stables
Al lime this site was the terminus "l me me,
bat since the road was extended the company
has built no Lew stables for it, though conSa ny intend
ins TO and consequently thcy were no" ic od'st
belonging the city cOmpay ana W0fc than ihdt less
care was taken III keeping them clean; TIE sewerage ana
other means Tor cleansing We're NcT3 lhIlo' IL "dH "
ded hat tins would doubtless induce the company
TO build new stables These Opinions we're sfchsihehru
by the fact that TINS sickness mas not Az
pcaTed any extent elsewhere. several DINER stdDH
were visited, but all reported the sainc-that every
season there few of this complaint but none
the no aillng now. III tC hcld ave Il tts
there have been four mia cases, anu III tHc boiuNdy
stables three; IN other places none were reported