CHAPTER X.—PART I.

GENERAL DISEASES

Rheumatism

This is a far more common disease of the horse than has generally been supposed. It is quite common in old horses, and in younger ones that have been exposed or over-worked. Cold and damp, and exposure to draughts of cold air when heated, or during and after severe effort or work, are among the most common causes.

SYMPTOMS.—It usually begins with a shivering chill, hot skin and mouth. The horse becomes lame and stiff all over, and several joints seem affected at once, so that he cannot move from the first, or else it soon becomes confined to one joint or leg; the joint or limb becomes very hot, swelled, and exceedingly painful; the pulse is quicker at one time than another, or stops now and then for a moment or two; the breathing is quick; sweats break out, and the animal becomes weak. When the disease attacks the fore legs, farriers call it “chest-founder”; and when it attacks the loins, the back is raised and belly tucked up, and it is known as “loin-bound.” Rheumatism not unfrequently shifts from one place to another, especially if the animal is exposed to wet and cold.

TREATMENT.—If there should be considerable heat and fever, as is most commonly the case, give first A.A., a dose of fifteen drops, every two or three hours, until the heat has been partially subdued, or until six doses has been given. Then alternate the B.B., with the A.A., every three or four hours, a dose of fifteen drops, until the animal is restored. If a limb or joint is painful, hot and swelled, bathe it in HUMPHREYS’ MARVEL WITCH HAZEL night and morning, and a flannel bandage applied to the limb will also be of great service, in addition to the internal medicines.

If at any time a horse shows symptoms of stiffness or lameness, fifteen drops of B.B., night and morning, will soon remove it.

Chronic Rheumatism

May be regarded as a continuance of an acute attack, or as is more frequent a recurrence of it, being generally milder in character and less painful. The general circulation, as indicated by the pulse and respiration, is not much affected, and the manifestation of the disease is usually confined to some form of lameness usually affecting one limb at a time. Suddenness of the attack and change of its locality are characteristic of the disease. Often after having been apparently cured it returns after an uncertain interval or appears in another locality. Limbs and tissues that have once suffered are more liable to a recurrence, and it may be generally assumed that when a horse has once had a siege of rheumatism and again has sudden lameness and pain, that it is a return of the old disorder. Bad weather, exposure, or over-work are the most frequent occasions of a recurrence of the attack. The lameness most frequently attacks one or the other leg, or there may be a general stiffness or lameness. Not unfrequently the lumbar or loin muscles become the principal seat of the disease and the term _lumbago_ or _loin-bound_ is applied to it; or when the muscles or fibrous tissues of the shoulder become affected, causing lameness of the forelegs, the animal is said to have chest founder.

TREATMENT.—B.B., is usually the best remedy. If there is fever, heat or some lameness, alternate A.A., and B.B., a dose every two hours. In old cases, and to eradicate the disease from the system, give B.B., morning and noon, and J.K., at night, not forgetting an occasional dose of H.H., to increase the action of the kidneys.

Fever—Swamp Fever—Blood Poisoning

FEVER is always a symptom of some other disease, never a disease of itself. An injury to any part of an animal, may, by sympathy, set up a fever in the rest of the body. However there are some cases where the fever is the most pronounced symptom, as in Swamp Fever and Septicemia or Blood Poisoning.

SWAMP FEVER or infectious Anemia is an infectious disease attacking Horses and Mules. It is characterized by high fever and loss of flesh and strength, with intervals of comparative good health, with no fever and a voracious appetite and the animal apparently getting well; only to be succeeded by another attack of fever, etc.

TREATMENT.—Since the disease can be readily caught by the other horses and mules, separate the sick from the well. Then give the A.A. and I.I., alternately in doses of fifteen drops, at intervals of two hours at first, and later at longer intervals as the animal improves.

BLOOD POISONING or Septicemia is the poisoning of the blood by germs or their products. It occurs more or less in all infectious diseases, but particularly the infection caused by a wound.

The symptoms are fever, rapid pulse, depression and weakness with sometimes chills.

TREATMENT.—In all cases of Fever, the A.A., is the first and generally the only remedy required. Give fifteen drops at intervals of two or three hours, at first, and by degrees at longer intervals as the animal improves.

Glanders and Farcy

The disease is termed Glanders when it is principally confined to the head and nose, and called Farcy when manifesting itself in the lymphatics.

SYMPTOMS OF GLANDERS.—_Constant_ discharge from one or both nostrils, more frequently from one, and that the left; the discharge is at first thin and watery, afterward thick like the white of egg. It may continue in this way for some time, or it soon becomes more mattery, sticky, then greenish or yellowish, or mixed with streaks of blood, and having a bad smell. Soon after this discharge is noticed, the glands under the jaw become painful and swollen, and one of them appears fixed to the jaw-bone. Then the membrane lining the inside of the nose has a yellowish or leaden color, which is considered characteristic of the disease; small bladders are noticed upon it, which afterward are changed to ulcers; these have sharp borders, and spread and deepen until the gristle and bones beneath become ulcerated. When ulcers appear upon the membrane of the nose, the constitution of the horse is evidently involved; he loses flesh; his belly is tucked up; coat unthrifty and the hair readily comes off; the appetite impaired; the strength fails; cough, more or less urgent, may be heard; the lungs become filled with abscesses, wasting goes on, and the animal soon dies.

FARCY.—Upon the face, lips and other portions of the body, but especially upon the legs, hard, painful and hot lumps are felt, which are called _Farcy buds_; they increase in size, with pain and heat, until the ulceration works through the skin and a thin discharge flows out. Between these lumps along the course of the lymphatics, hardened cords are felt; the groin, inside the thighs, and space between the fore legs and chest, become, from the tumefaction of these lymphatics, swelled and very painful; the legs are swelled, together with the usual discharge of glanders.

TREATMENT.—In suspected cases were the disease is not well developed or recognized give fifteen drops of the C.C., every two hours.

N. B.—It should be remembered that a well marked case of glanders is _highly contagious_. Not only may the disease be communicated to other animals, but the glandered matter coming in contact with a cut, abraded or sore surface in the human subject, will be liable to result as a very severe, if not fatal, case of poisoning. Prudence demands that we should handle such animals with great caution, and a thoroughly glandered animal had much better be killed at once than endanger other animals or the lives of human beings, and the more so as the chance of recovery in such a case is very remote.

Inflammation of the Lymphatics, or Weed

In some rare cases horses suffer from Inflammation of the Lymphatics, manifested by cord-like swellings along the course of these vessels. It may be brought on by sudden changes of food, cold and wet weather, sudden over-work after several days of rest, disordered stomach, standing in cold water, exposure to drafts of air etc.

THE SYMPTOMS are as follows: The attack is usually sudden, beginning with a cold, shivering chill, followed by full, strong and quick pulse, accelerated breathing; hot, dry mouth, and general fever. The local manifestation is on one of the hind legs, generally the left, or in rare instances, a fore-leg may be affected. The leg is lifted from the ground, is hot and painful to the touch, and swells _from above downward_. The swelling increases rapidly, the leg becomes much larger than the other, the pain increases, and the leg is very sensitive to the touch. Several hard, round and very painful cord-like swellings may be felt on the inside of the leg; these end in small, hardish lumps, and are more painful than the cords. A watery fluid exudes from the skin, and may be seen in drops standing upon the hair.

TREATMENT.—At the commencement, foment the limb for an hour, night and morning, with hot water, and afterward apply HUMPHREYS’ MARVEL WITCH HAZEL freely. The horse should have plenty of exercise, and in most cases may be ordered to his work, continuing the medicine as hereinafter directed. Give, three times per day, fifteen drops of the A.A. After a few days, the J.K., may be alternated with the former with advantage. But in general the A.A., will be entirely sufficient.

Purpura Hemorrhagica

Some rare cases of this disease have been observed in the horse. It consists essentially of a decomposition of the blood, and loss of power in the capillary vessels, as the result of which echymosed or black and blue spots appear on the surface, and upon the mucous membrane wherever it can be seen, hemorrhages occur from various parts of the body and are thrown off with the natural excretions. The inside of the nose is covered with purple spots, as also the inside of the lips. These spots vary in size, and are filled with dark-colored fluid blood, which exudes if they are punctured or scratched. There is diffused swelling over the system, showing itself at the eyelids, breast, flank, belly, quarters, and between the thighs, extending upward. It is attended with weakness and general prostration of the system, swelling and stiffening of the joints, and sloughing off of the membrane of the nose, or other parts.

TREATMENT.—The A.A., will be found appropriate in all cases of this disease. Give a dose of fifteen drops three times per day. If there are hemorrhages from any organ, give half a gill of HUMPHREYS’ MARVEL WITCH HAZEL three times per day, between doses of the A.A.

Give common food of good quality, less oats and hay, but especially carrots and potatoes. The last are very serviceable in this disease.

Big Jaw—Actinomycosis

This disease is caused by the Ray fungus which is sometimes found on barley, oats, cactus, dried grass, etc., and which enters the body of the animal through cuts or wounds on the tongue, gums, etc., and particularly with young animals at teething time.

SYMPTOMS.—These of course vary with the position of the wound, through which the fungus entered the body. If on the tongue, the tongue becomes swollen and very painful “wooden tongue.” If around the teeth, the jaw becomes swollen and finally the growth breaks through the skin or into the mouth. If through the skin of the head or neck, large nodules appear, varying in size from a hazel nut to a man’s fist.

TREATMENT.—The most successful treatment is by cutting out the nodules; this of course should be done by a Veterinary Surgeon.

We advise calling a Veterinary Surgeon and having him perform the operation as soon as possible, as the disease is usually curable if properly handled and it cannot be transmitted to man or to the other animals.

Azoturia

This disease is somewhat common, and is often considered a paralysis from this most frequently prominent symptom. But this condition is really due to imperfect action of the liver and kidneys in failing to eliminate only partially oxidized products and the transformation of albuminoids into urea—thus producing the train of symptoms constituting the disease. It mostly attacks animals out at grass, or those who have been for a time idle on good feed, and are then put to active exercise or work; beans, peas, or other like foods are also liable to produce it. The autumn is its most frequent season of attack and mares seem to be more liable to it than geldings.

SYMPTOMS.—These come on suddenly and without premonitions of disease. The animal may be attacked in the stable after having been out for a short time, after a period of rest. In the milder cases there is only some _lameness_ and _muscular trembling_ of a particular limb, generally the hind ones, without apparent cause, and on examination there is a dusky brown color of the membrane of the eye and nose, and some tenderness of the ribs when struck; the lameness may be such that the animal may be scarcely able to walk, or may even go down altogether. In other cases the horse is struck down at once from loss of motive power in the loins and hind legs after having been driven only a short time after an interval of rest. In other cases the attack is not so sudden, the animal becomes very restless, perspires freely, seems to be in violent pain, the flanks heave, the nostrils are dilated, the face pinched, the body trembles violently and shows a disposition to lie down, and very soon, if not already present, the characteristic symptoms appear. These are, _tremors_ and _violent spasmodic twitchings_ of the _large muscles of the back_, _loins_ and _hips_, ending in contractions, with more or less loss of motive power. The body trembles violently, the limbs become weak so that they sway and bend, the animal walks crouchingly behind, and soon goes down unable to support himself, the urine discharged is high-colored, thick, and has a strong ammoniacal odor; the pulse varies from 60 to 80 beats per minute, generally weak though sometimes strong; temperature from 102 to 104.5 Fahrenheit, or even higher. The bowels may be regular, and in mild attacks the appetite is not impaired.

In severe cases the animal lies prostrate, plainly unable to rise, refuses to eat or drink, struggles violently in his attempts to raise himself, and coma (insensibility) may supervene; in such cases the conjunctive mucous membrane of the eyes is much congested.

In _very_ violent cases the animal is suddenly struck down, struggles violently for a few hours, becomes comatose and dies.

In milder cases the severe symptoms abate, but the animal does not regain the use of its limbs, and though it may eat and remain perfectly conscious, is unable to rise and ultimately dies from some complication.

In favorable cases the trembling, twitches and spasms abate, the urine becomes more natural, the power of movement returns, and in a few days the animal is convalescent, often having for some time a swelling across the breast like a pad as a result of the dropsical infiltration of this depending tissue.

In other cases, the loss of power in certain muscles remains for a long time, and yet in other cases cerebral complications and death may ensue as a result of defective urinary secretion.

TREATMENT.—Is much more favorable under our method than by the usual course. Give at first A.A., a dose every hour for six or eight hours to relieve the vascular excitement and increase the action of the liver and kidneys, then give the J.K., in alternation with A.A., at intervals of two hours between doses. Continue these two Remedies for say twenty-four hours, or even longer, and when the animal is easier, and more especially if the urine has _not yet become more free and natural_, interpose H.H., in alternation with J.K., at intervals of three or four hours between doses.

Later on and for remaining complications, if such exist, give J.K., and H.H., two doses of each per day in alternation.

Anthrax—Charbon

This is an epizootic disease with quite an ancient history, mostly prevalent in the deltas, low grounds and river bottoms of our far Southern States. At times it prevails over certain sections, carrying off hundreds and even thousands of horses and mules, while other seasons are measurably free from its ravages.

It is caused by a germ which enters the body through the mouth on food or water or through a cut in the skin. The anthrax germ is very difficult to destroy and a stable or pasture once infected will remain so for many years.

SYMPTOMS.—Usually for some hours before the disease is manifested externally, the affected animal will appear languid, the ears droop and signs of general depression may be noticed, followed by vertigo and colic, slight swellings soon make their appearance. These swellings are at first about the size of a walnut, or the end of one’s finger or thumb, are round or slightly irregular in shape, but are always adherent to a pedicle at the base. They are painful and the parts around them are sensitive; when touched with the finger, a local shivering, like a sub-cutaneous beating is distinctly felt. They are variously located, but nearly always upon dependent parts, as under the neck and breast, between the front and hind legs, along the lower part of the chest and belly, and on the sheath and teats. The sheath in some animals is so enormously swelled as to interfere with urination. The swellings are rarely seen upon the back. Nearly all animals not treated, die in from twelve to thirty-six hours after the first symptoms are noted, the temperature rising to 105 before death.

TREATMENT.—This disease is recognized as being incurable, and generally fatal. In suspected cases, give A.A., every two hours, until the animal improves or the disease becomes thoroughly developed, in which latter case the animal should be killed at once.

The carcass of the animal and everything connected with it should be burned, and the entire premises thoroughly disinfected as given under contagious abortion, page 122.

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For Every Living Animal

In addition to the chapters on the Diseases of Horses, Sheep, Cattle, Dogs, Hogs and Poultry, HUMPHREYS’ VETERINARY REMEDIES are used for every living animal.

We have constant orders from Atlantic City from the owner of the Performing Seals.

From Arkansas the owner of an Alligator Farm is a persistent user.

Harper Brothers published a book on Canary Birds, and the author refers to the use of our REMEDIES, all through the book.

When the Belgian Hares were imported into this country, the Agricultural papers were full of the accounts of the use of HUMPHREYS’ REMEDIES.

There is hardly a lover of Cats in the United States who does not use our REMEDIES.

The dose can be graduated from five to fifteen drops, according to the size of the animal.

PART II Diseases of Cattle