Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
THE CHAMBERS.
A Terrible Horse-Disease and Its Serious
Consequences.

\ "A Terrible dOrSe-DISe0So ana It's Sef1O0D
| Consequences.
There are two forms of this disease.
which, by the way, is no ''modern in
vention," but dates back to the times
of the earliest Greek writers. Chambers
and farcy are the names for two varie-
ties OF disease that is similar. The
former is confined mostly to the nasal
cavities while the latter affects the lynn
phatic system and manifests itself in
swellings and alterations, principally
upon the legs. The CHAMBERS is char
acterized by the appearance within the
nostrils of little holes or ulcers, having
ragged and intlamed edges, and dis
charging a greenish, sticky pus. While
horses are at all times subject to colds
or other diseases which produce n run
ming of the nostrils. there are two
symptoms which may be depended
upon as infallible signs of the presence
of the dread disease. The first corre-
spends in all respects to the indca-
tons of a cold, accompanied by a rum
ming of the nose, but the discharge, in
stead of being a whitish mucus. coming
from both nOstrils, is usually found
only in one nostril, is of a darker color,
of gluey consistency and adheres to
the edges of the nostril. This is ac-
companied by discoloration of the
membrane which forms the dividing
wall of the nostrils. which becomes OF
a yellowish or brownish unhealthy col
or instead of the pink or reddish shade
of healthy condition. One or both Of
the submaXillary glands will at the
same time become enlarged and moro
or less Gallons and adhere to the bone.
| Upon the membrane of the nostril will
soon appear number of small ulcers
with light ceaters and dark circumfer-
! encc.
A veterinary authority gives the fol-
| lowing, whereby a case of CHAMBERS
may be infallibly detected: Its
! symptoms are continued flow or dis
charge from one or both nostrils, gen.
orally the left, which discharge is at
| first thin and Serious, then thick and
! glairy, like the white of an egg, but
/ after a time becomes opaque, purulent,
/ bloody and very offensive, retaining
| however, its viscidity. Soon after it
commences An enlarged gland may be
felt under the lower jaw, adhering to
the bone. The next symptom noticed
| is one or more depressed ulcers, having
! sharp edges on the membrane dividing
the nostrils. These spread widely and
deeply and lead to carries of the bone.
, Then the lips and eyc-lids swell, the
external parts of the face may become
gangrenous. and the animal will die in
a few days with putrid fever, or he may
perish more slowly by the disease
spreading to the lungs. The distinctive
| symptoms are the continuOusness of
the discharge and the adherence to the
jaw of the enlarged submaXillary gland.
Farcy, which has its seat in the lynn
phatic system, begins with hard, cord
like sweilings of the Emphatic vessels
and glands, called farcy buds. These
slowly suppurate and form tistulous
sores, which discharge copious. thin
| matter. Farcy alwa'7s leads to CHAMBERS.
From this it would seem that no per-
| son accustomed to the care of horses
should have any difficulty in settling
the true nature of the disease within 4
short time after it makes its appear
ance. So virulcnt Is it, however, and
SO easily communicable, that when the
first signs are perceived the animal af-
fccted should at once be isolated, and
when it is found that it is a genuine
case of the CHAMBERS no time should be
! lost in killing and burying or burning
the horse. The disease is communica-
BILE by the use of the same harness, cur
ry-comb, drinking-bucket, Manager. or
indeed any article which may have been
in contact with glandered horse.
| There is no safety in retaining any I'M
plement or appliance that has been i'll
danger of being contaminated, but all
should be destroyed.
Especially should care be taken by
any person who may be obliged to ham
die horse that is suspected of being
glandered. The least sore or abrasion
of the skin on the hands should lead
one to refrsin from approaching dis
cascd animal, while the accidental con.
tact of a drop of the glanderous mucus
with persons face has been known
to communicate the disease and cause
horrible suffering and death.
Chambers is produced, besides being
communicated by infection, by keeping
horses in filthy, ill-ventiiated or over
crowded stables, or in other improper
sanitary conditions. This will account
for the appearance of the disease in
some cases where the absence of any
opportunity for infection from the out
side has been puzzling.
When once the unmistakable symp-
toms of the disease are apparent there
is no further use for the administration
of remedies Of any kind. The humane
method is the speedy application of a
rilie-ball and the utter destruction of
every thing which may by any posi-
bility have become infected. -SanFran-
cisco Chronicle.