Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-02

A Contagious Equine Mala6y Which
Agent Key Says Is Prevalent Here.

Mr.. Key the agent of the Humane society, in
the discharge OF his duties has had his attention
called to tine growing prevalence OF the disease
known as CHAMBERS among horses in this DIS.
trict. He Is of the opinion, from what he has
observed and learned during the past year and
a half, that there are quite large number OF
cases in the city and District, and thinks that
owners of horses, especially those having colds,
should take Immediate steps to have them
cured. When the animals have any complaint,
especially of the nature of a running cold in the
nOstrils, they are more likely to take the CLAM
ders. 1t is almost impossible he says, to avoid
coming in contact with horses having this
disease, because in many instances the owners
are not aware that the animals are afflicted
with CHAMBERS. In the worse stages
irils,. but the swelling OF the glands,
from which the disease is named. can be
detected by passing the hand along the throat
OF the animal. The disease, he says, is incura-
BILE, and the only thing TO be done is to shoot
the animal. This may be considered rather
heroic treatment, but all men OF experience
with horses would rather suffer even the loss of
a valuable animal than to run the risk OF hav-
ing the disease communicated to other horses.
The contagious nature of this disease is not
alone confined to horses in the same stable and
feeding from adjoining boxes, but there have
been Instances where horse coming in contact
with a glandered horse on the street has caught
the disease. This is especially true of a horse
which has running cold at the head Mr.
shot, and whenever he hears of a case of this
kind he notifies the owners to take measures to
have the animal isolated, and when
it is demonstrated beyond a doubt that
it has the disease he advises that
it be killed at once. There were
one or two cases of this kind among the horses
used in the work on the reservoir extension
during the last spring, and also several in pri-
vate stables. Mr.. Key is of the opinion that
the disease is more prevalent in the northwest
ern portion of the city. The actual extent of
it he does not know, but he thinks that there
may be one hundred cases at present in the
District. He finds that very often horses with
this disease have their nostrils stopped up and
are then sold, the diseased animals in this way
time spreading the contagion OF the disease.
The STAR reporter who talked with Mr.. Key
on this subject suggested that the public drink
ing basins might be the means of transmitting
the disease, but Mr.. Key said that it had been
his experience that when the germs of disease
were taken into the stomach the cOntagion was
less likely to spread than when 1t entered the
blood through cut or when they found their
way into the lungs and thus affected the blood
A BELT Case Witness In Trouble.
ARRESTED ON AN ATTACHMENT FOR CONTEMPT
OF THE POLICE COURT.
Ex-Policeman William T. Benton was ar
rested this morning by Officer Edwards on an
attachment from the Police Court charging
him with contempt in failing to obey the order
of the court in the matter of giving bail, and
he was taken before the court. Benton was
one of the defendants on charges of perjury
growing out OF the Belt divorce case, as
already published. Benton was held for the
action OF the grand jury and given time to re-
new his bail, which he failed to do. Benton
was turned over to the marshal, and unless
bail is given during the day he will be COM
mitted 10 Jail.