The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-27
HORSES KEEP DYING.
The Hyde, County Epidemic
is Still Spreading.
The State veterinian Ought to be al Once Sent
Out to investigate and Try to Check
the Fatal MaIady.

Capt. Chas. F. Warren, of Washington
preme court says the peculiar disease
that has been killing so many horses IN
Hyde and other eastern counties has
now reached the lower end of Beaufort
county, where mosquitoes were worst
during the summer, and number or
horses having died in that section in the
past few days. The disease is reported
also in Pamlico, Chatham and Pitt, and
hundreds of horses have died of it
within the past two or three weeks.
State Veterinarian Butler should at
once be called upon to investigate this
disease, and ascertain what remedy can
be applied.
At first the people were not seriously
alarmed. Everybory supposed that 1T
was staggers, and that there would be
only few cases. But the disease
spread with alarming rapidity, and the
symptoms showed plainly that it was
not staggers, and now the farmers de-
clare their inability to cope with the
malady which is exceedingly fatal.
Horses that are attacked live from
twelve hours to five days. Most OF them
die in about thirty hours. Some of them
have paraxyisms in whichSthey seem to
suffer intensely. Others are more quiet,
and after they fall down remain in
Stupor, as if they We're asleep, with now
and then a rousing spell. Several horses
have been dissected and in every case
the lungs have been congested, and in
some cases almost decayed In some in
stances the heart has been found badly
affected If only one lung is involved
it is said that the horse will probably
live four or five days. So far all medi-
cal treatment has failed absolutely. No
one seems to know what the disease is
or what causes it. 1t is evidently con-
tagicus and the whole atmosphere
seems to be full of it. or course horses
that are in healthy and vigorous con-
dition can best withstand the attack.
Mr.. r. D. Carroll, writing to the
Greenville Reflector from Hyde county
says:
"Pamlico, the lower part of Beaufort
and Tyrrell counties are also infected
with this scourge. Not very many
mules so far, have died. But about 200
horses have died already in this county,
and the disease does not seem to have
abated in the least More new cases are
reported today than I have heard OF
during any one day before.
Very few horses that have been
properly cared for have died. New oat
straw are said to contain a specific
poison to horses this season. Do not let
horses eat anything green while wet
with dew. Don't give them surface
water to drink. Don't feed new oats or
oat straw to them Keep them out or
the hot sun as much as possible and
keep tenn dry Do not feed anything
to them that has been cut and cured
this season. Do not feed very heavy on
anything. Keep the stalls and stables
in a clean sanitary condition. Attention
to these things is said to be the best
preventative to keep horses from be-
coming infected.
IF you want to use drugs, give youi
horse sixty grains of Quinine per day,
twenty grains at a time, give him
tablespoonful each of sulphur and salt
peter every other day, but do not let
him have any cold water for a half day
afterwards. You may give him an
ounce of assafoetida three times week.
A solution of carbolic acid will be gooo
to disinfect your stable with-sprinkle
the walls and floor with it. Some tar
and kerosene oil in equal parts will be
good But keep your stall filled with
the odor Of the carbolic acid.
"Then if your horse gets sick and be-
gins to walk around and hold the head
down and you can hear rough heavy
breathing in one or both lungs, Gf III
both lungs he will try to put his head
between his fore feet and the horse has
high fever it will be useless to doctor
him at all. Before he gets too weak to
walk, lead him out to a good burial
ground where the DRAWINGS will not
soak through the earth or run into
water that anything else has to drink.
and soon as he is dead bury him deep
under the earth.
1T is very grave and serious mat
ter here. $4,000 will not replace the
horses that have already died in this
county during the past month. And at
the present death rate there will scarce
ly be horse left in the county by the
~ Co. 49, L.