The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1888-12-26
HORSE DISEASES.
Territorial Veterinarian Holloway Denies
Predicting Much Sickness Next
Spring.
To the Editor New Northwest:

To the Editor New Northwest:
SIR: In your last issue you reprint an
item from the Bozeman Chronicle in
which am quoted as saying that the
disease which has been called the un-
known horse disease is "cpizootic pleu-
ritis." and that predict general pre-
valence of the disease next spring.
There is evidently mistake somewhere
or other in this item. In the first place,
l have never said that the disease which
some people are pleased to call the ''un.
known disease" was epizootic pleuritis;
secondly, have no reason whatever to
think that our horses will be visited in
the spring with any any greater amount
of disease than might be ordinarily ex-
pected; and, thirdly, / have not seen any
disease in the Territory since July,
August and September of last year which
was not easily diagnosed. During these
months there waa in several places of
the Territory outbreaks of disease among
horses of an obscure character. At the
request of the Governor of the Territory
and the Board of Stock Commissioners,
l made arrangements with an eminent
Eastern pathologist to scientifically in
quire into the cause of these outbreaks,
but by the time such arrangements were
completed the outbreaks had abated and
satisfactory cases for experiment could
not be found. Careful notes. post and
ante mortem, were made at the time by
the late DIR. Parsons and myself, and
upon these notes compiled a lengthy
paper which l read before the U, S.
Veterinary Sanitary Convention at
Chicago last month. AS yet l have
failed to meet veterinarian TO whom
the trouble was familiar. Now since the
time of these outbreaks every disease
among horses has been termed the "un-
known disease" 70 the nonprofessional
observer many different diseases appear
one and the same, but the educated
veterinarian need have no difficulty
whatever in diilerentiating between
these outbreaks and ANYTHING which has
since appeared. However, that does no
alter the fact titat many diseases, vel
known to the veterinary profession fol
hundreds of years, have since beer
termed unknown" Let me try to ex
plain how absurd this is. During the pas
few months have examined cases o
unknown" horse diseases in the Gallatil
valley, and found severe cases o
influenza with more or less Of its man,
forms and complications. On Mizpal
creek, Custer county, l found that form
of influenza known as epizootic pleuritis
In another part of the territory foun
the unknown" to be hoof disease
"Furuncle, j" and in another place it turn
ed out to be a bad outbreak Of slander:
and 80 could GO on and state where
had found cases of Paralysis, Pyogeni
Fever, Azoturia, "Loco" poisoning
(iLoco" can hardly be termed poisor
GUS; it affects animals in much the san,
i way that the opium habit affects people
, Scarlet Fever, Ergotism, ETC., but thin
+ this will be sufficient to convey m
meaning,
Taking iLto consideration the numbt
/ Of horses in Montana, the exposures
. which they are subjected, and the lit
i care they receive, consider them ,
. healthy as any in the Union. and ! III
Q hesita.lngly state that we have no worl
8 diseases among our horses to day tha
. that can be found in almost every sta
! or territory from Maine to California.
Yours truly,
HEaBERT HOLLOWAY, VS.,
E Territorial Veterinaria
Helena, NJ. T., Dec. Is, 1855.