Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-05-06

heoeiit Of our regular subscribers. Aliques-
lions will i've respectively answered by III;
{. Il. Robinson, q vetinary rnSslcian , anu
cations should be addressed. Veterinary Fnl'
tor Register
To the Reuters Of the Register.
INFLUENZA, BY c. Il. ROBINSON, " :.
With the changes of season We have
changes in the animal economy, and
hence diseases all peculiar to their own
season OF the year. Never does o spring
or fall appear without bringing with it
some disease of u specific character
peculiar to the equine species.
II lis from this fact that | wish to
draw yOur attention TO disease now
prevailing in nearly every city in this
great republic, and extending itself far
into the surrounding country and known
by various names.
This disease has uren known ~ Tar
back as l2"9, when We have authentic
accounts Of its appearance III Seviile.
In 1915 an epizootic broke out among
the horses Of the French army in Ger
many, and has been described by
sollcysrll; and from that time up 10
the present we have had returns Of the
disease almost every change of the SEA-
son. and some Of the late dates are fresh
| in the minds of horse owners. In ~
as, when the disease first appeared IN
| Toronto, Canada, and rapidly spread
| to every city in Canada and thc United
| States needs no mention. except to say
| il will never he forgot in veterinary
| literature, where il is now described a.
"pan2OotiC Catarrhal Fever"
Neither is it identical with the much
talked Of pink.cyc, which is Il specific
fever, as distinct in character asanthiax,
hydrophobia, SCarlatina, or any other
| positive disease.
The causes Of influenza are very OBJ
Scure. II may occur spontaneously i'll
various places, but its first origin cannot
| be indicated. 1t may appear at all
times of the year, tut is more commonly
seen in spring and fall and in winter
| when we have wet mild weather. Sud-
| den changes of temperature eppears to
| assist in the development of the poison,
and exposure to cold predisposes the
| animal to the disease. Whatever the
specific material may he it must exist
in the air. The influences which pre-.
| dispOses to influenza seems to exist in
one large horse establishment, for
scarcely Il fresh horse is introduced to
| them without in short or long period
| of time becoming affected with some
| form of the disease. Especially il this
| the fact where the stables are under
ground and badly ventilated. When
the animals stand on ground floors, the
| ground becomes saturated with urine
| and other deCOnpOsiug matter, which
| on the addition Of heat, gives OIL amoni-
| cal gas, which Is also one Of the causes
of 50 many blind horses in this country.
SO we may then conclude that this
influenza, owing to to undetermined
| conditions of the atmosphere may so
extend and thus prevail as an endemic
or epidemic diseases.
The name influenza was given 10 the
disease in Italy, where ii was supposed
| to be due to the influence Of the stars,
| but il has received various names, such
a epidemic catarrh, epiIoOtic, catarrhal
fever, ~ cOnbature, and L.. tevris
| catarThaliS, &c., &c.
| IntlucuYa is disease of a specific
| character showing well marked febrile
and catarrhal symptoms, and 81 tendency
| TO involve the different organs of the
ody rs the heart, liver, lungs, larynX,
| Ac. The early symptoms of the dis.
aSe are dull languid appearance,
Iartial loss OF appetite, Leg,
ears and nose cold, with redress
and dryness Of the schnciderian MEM
brane, rise of temperature l02' TO l04'
+. There is a hacking cough, which
is easy excited by pressure on the
! larynX. There Is q discharge from the
! nostrils, at first thin and more or les
| acrid mucus, eyes swollen and con-
| mnctiv@ injected. The symptoms in
| crease in intensity for two or three days,
| the discharge from the nose becomes
| more prOfuse and all the symptoms are
| aggravated. The temperature mayg a.
high Us 1912 r.
The cough becomes deep, sonorous
and painful, the month is hot, dry and
| Clammy.
There is much musculgr debiity,as is
| shown by the way the animal moves,
/ and when made to move swayeS from
side u side. There is inability to swal-
| low food or drink, and food taken IL
| often blown out OF the nostrils.
In the early stage there is cOnstipa-
| ton of the bowes. The wrine is high
| cOlOred and sometimes thick and ropy.
| Owing to the deb lity of the system We
may have dropsiCal etfuSion in the legs,
chest and belly.
Pulse weak and quick and may go a.
high as 9h to 100 beats per minute.
Respiration quick and heavy, depend
| ing ON the SIEVE rity OF the disease.
On auSCultatiOn and pTecu. sion We are
able to tell the extent of the disease in
the chest, but none but the educated
veterinary can distinguish these
sounds.
Many of the complication are due to
ipjudicious treatment, which, am sor-
~ to say, is to often practiced Oh our
dumb animals.
The complications most frequently
met are plurisy, pneumonia, piuro-
pneumonia, bronchitis, hydrothorax,
pericarditis, pleursdynia, rheumatism,
and Iammitis. In all cases We have
larynitis and by improper treatment
We have as 3 sequetal roaring and thick
| wind
In all cases of catarrahl affections
there is great irrjtability Of the gastro-
enteriC mucus nIemb -ane, hence the
danger of purgatlvss in treating.
Improperly treated influenza Is seldom
| fatal, but Improperly treated is 3 very
dangerous disease. Treatment consists
| in plscing the snimal in nice warm
| loose box, out Of all drans, br: well Ven
| tilated and cluthe according 70 season,
| give q nice warm bran mash and plen-
! ty of pure cold water to drink at lais-
| IRE. The attendant must bear III
mind that 1t is one of ihese diseases
which cannot be checked at pleasure,
but must run definite course aud like
q ship in a storm he must turn the sails
SO as to guide it through.
The treatment should be supportive
and such as will assist nature ia renoy'
| ing the mats moT6i from the system,
Apply counter irritations to iht
threat externally and gargies interna'y
give dimetics To act on the kidney, ahd
| there ia much debility lse atm Giants