Manual of veterinary homeopathy

The delicate membrane lining the abdominal cavity, and covering the parts within it, is termed the peritoneum, and is occasionally the subject of inflammation.

It not unfrequently follows the gelding of the horse, especially if he is too soon afterwards turned out to grass, or during cold and wet weather. Exposure to cold standing in draughts of air, or drinking cold water may produce it; and it follows a stab in the belly or a rupture of some of the viscera, and the flow of the contents into the abdomen.

Symptoms.—A few days after cutting the colt, the yard and sheath will be found swelled and painful; little or no matter flows from the cut; the animal is restless and uneasy; the body is painful when pressed against, and is swelled with watery fluid; the legs are cold; the bowels are bound; the skin is rough and dry; no food is eaten; if loose, he rests his hind quarters on the side of the stall; the swelling in the breast, legs and sheath increases; the breathing becomes quick and painful; the pulse hard, quick, and by degrees small and weak. These gradually become worse, until the animal dies.

There is a slow form of this disease, as follows: poor appetite; low spirits; uneasiness; occasional pawing the ground; looking at the belly and groaning; belly painful when pressed upon, and tucked up; quick breathing; small, weak pulse; bound bowels; awkward way of walking with the hind legs; mouth dry; and bad smelling; body thin; coat staring and unthrifty; urine scanty; weakness. As the disease advances, the abdomen fills with a watery fluid, and the disease terminates as dropsy.

Treatment.—From the commencement, the A.A., is the most important remedy, and may be given, fifteen drops, every two hours, during the more urgent symptoms, and then at longer intervals for the acute form.

If there should be purging, alternate the F.F. with the A.A., at intervals of two hours, and then leas frequently as the disease improves.

In the slow form of the disease, the alternate use of J.K. and F.F., four times per day, will be found most effectual in preventing a termination in dropsy, and in restoring the animal.

Jaundice, Yellows, Diseased Liver

Young horses rarely have diseased livers, but at the age of eight or nine years, the disease is more common, and, in some cases, quite suddenly, the covering of the liver gives way, and symptoms of fatal peritonitis appear.

Symptoms.—Jaundice, or Yellows, is more frequent, and is marked thus: The animal is dull, sleepy, and unwilling to move; he eats little or nothing; the coat stares; the urine is scanty; the dung light-colored and in lumps. The nose, tongue, eyes and mouth become yellow, from the abundance of bile in the blood. The urine is very thick, dark-colored and full of bile. The right side is painful when pressed against, and the horse looks towards it, he may be lame in the right fore-leg, or paw the ground with it. These symptoms may increase, and cough, quick breathing, and full, quick pulse, be added, which afterwards becomes quite weak and slow, and the legs very cold. He then becomes more and more dull, stupid and sleepy, staggers, falls to the ground, and dies.

Treatment.—Rarely will anything more be required than the J.K., of which a dose of fifteen drops may be given, four times per day.

Should there be heat, fever or inflammatory symptoms, a few doses of the A.A., will be proper, not merely for the heat and fever, but for the obstruction of the liver as well. In severe cases, these two remedies may be alternated with the most brilliant success, even when there is no fever apparent. Give fifteen drops every four hours, alternately, first A.A., next J.K., and so on.

Costiveness, Bound Bowels

This is usually a mere symptom of some other disease, upon the removal of which the costiveness disappears. But sometimes, in consequence of dry food, deficient action of the liver, want of exercise, or a paralytic condition of the digestive organs, it may require attention.

Treatment.—The animal should have regular exercise, green food or bran mashes night and morning, with but little oats, or other heating or dry food. Give fifteen drops of J.K., night and morning, and the condition will soon be corrected.

Bots and Worms

Bots in the horse, like worms in the human system, have usually a great many sins to answer for, which are really chargeable elsewhere. It is a principle in the economy of nature, that one animal should feed upon or live within another, and hence every animal, and almost every organ, also, has its peculiar parasite or inhabitant. Such parasites are rarely injurious. In an unhealthy condition of the system, they may unduly accumulate, and occasion some inconvenience, but they rarely feed upon the surface to which they are attached, but only upon the contents of the organs in which they exist.

The history of the bot, the most formidable of horse parasites, is as follows: Towards the close of autumn, the female gadfly (octrus equi) fixes its eggs upon the hair of the horse’s legs, by means of a sticky substance, exuded with the egg. By means of the horse’s tongue and lips, these eggs are carried to the mouth, and so on down to the stomach, where the eggs, farther developed in the form of grubs, are attached, by means of their hooks, to the sides of the organ, while their heads remain floating in its fluids, upon which they feed. Having arrived at maturity, they are separated, pass along the intestines, and are expelled with the dung, after which they again burst their shell, and rise in the summer in the form of the gadfly.

Symptoms.—Some horses are supposed to suffer much from bots, while others, in the most perfect health, have an abundance of them. Often there are no symptoms to indicate their presence, but generally, the horse loses flesh and strength, and can scarcely move about; he has turns of griping pains in the belly; eats and drinks greedily; the oats pass off undigested, and the dung has a bad smell. The only sure criterion of the existence of bots or worms is their presence, hanging about the anus, or mixed with the dung of the animal.

There are also the long round worms, similar to the common earth worm, and the small pin-norm, half an inch or more in length, which show at the anus, an inch or more in length, which often causes itching and uneasiness at the anus.

Treatment.—To eradicate worms or bots from the system, give fifteen drops of D.D., each night and morning, with regular and healthy feed, and the worm symptoms will soon disappear.

For Colic or belly-ache, when supposed to be from bots, give fifteen drops of the D.D., alternately with the A.A., every half hour or hour, according to the urgency of the case. A few doses will usually relieve.

In obstinate cases, when the Bots seem to be constitutional, give fifteen drops of the D.D., every morning, and the same of J.K., every night, and so continue until good health is established.

Salivation—Slavering

Many horses are subject to an increased flow of saliva from the mouth, constituting what is known as slavering or driveling from the mouth. The discharge is commonly, simply glairy slime, or at times—and especially on being driven or excited—a simple froth, dropping or being blown from the mouth. It may be caused by mercury if the horse has been dosed with the drug; is often attributed to Lobelia or Indian tobacco, if the horse only would eat it—but is more commonly the result of swelled gums, irregular or deficient teeth, and irritated or inflamed salivary glands, the result of bad digestion.

Treatment.—See that the teeth are in order, and give J.K., morning and night.

Nephritis, Inflammation of the Kidneys

The kidneys are not unfrequently the subject of inflammation in the horse. It may be induced by powerful or repeated diuretics, such as saltpetre, which is a most dangerous medicine, or from hard and long riding by a heavy rider, or heavy weights; or by leaping or being suddenly pulled up on his haunches, the inflammation being propagated from the lumbar muscles to the kidneys, or by exposure to cold and wet, by rain dripping upon his loins during exercise, and especially if these organs have been previously weakened.

Symptoms.—The early symptoms are those of fever, the pulse full, hard and quickened, afterward becomes small and weak; the horse looks around anxiously at his flanks; stands with his hind legs wide apart; is unwilling to lie down; straddles as he walks; expresses pain in turning; the back is somewhat arched; he shrinks when the loins are pressed upon, and there is some degree of heat felt there. The urine is voided in small quantities; frequently is high-colored, and sometimes bloody; and there is frequent and often violent effort and straining, but the discharge is very small, sometimes suppressed.

Treatment.—Give fifteen drops of H.H., and repeat every two hours. Should there be very high fever, great heat, etc., the A.A., may be alternated with it, giving fifteen drops every intermediate hour in urgent cases, but in general the H.H., will be quite sufficient, and should be continued at prolonged intervals to entire recovery.

But a few doses will be required to show us the great value and efficacy of the remedy.

This disease is usually the result of giving diuretics, such as saltpetre, cantharides, or similar irritating medicines. It may also be the effect of a cold and exposure, or of a stone in the bladder, and the disease may occupy the neck of the bladder, or the organ itself. The symptoms are similar to that of Inflammation of the Kidneys; the horse makes frequent and painful attempts to stale, but passes only a few drops of water at a time. The bladder cannot retain the urine from its excessive irritability, so that the attempt to void it is constantly going on. The urine may be clear, or mixed with mucus, or stained with blood.

The Treatment is the same as for Inflammation of the Kidneys, the remedy for that disease, H.H., being given every two hours, in doses of fifteen drops, or less frequently, according to the urgency of the case. In some cases the A.A., may be given in alternation, as for Inflammation of the Kidneys; but in general, the remedy first mentioned H.H., will be found every way efficient and available.

Hematuria, or Bloody Urine

This is usually a mere symptom of some other disease. Blows, or a violent strain of the loins, some kinds of irritating plants, stones in the kidneys or bladder; ulceration of the bladder; Spanish flies given internally or administered as a blister—may either of them produce bloody urine as a symptom.

The symptoms are: discharge of urine, mixed more or less with blood, or containing clots. When the blood is caused by some disease of the kidney, there is usually pain in walking, straddling of the hind legs, and an awkward way of walking. If the blood comes from the kidneys, it will be intimately mixed with the urine; but if from the bladder, it will pass off with the last of the urine rather than the first.

Treatment.—Fifteen drops of the H.H., given three times per day, will generally promptly relieve. If dependent upon organic disease, more time may be required, but the remedy is the same. If it fails, give a large spoonful of Humphreys’ Marvel Witch Hazel, poured upon the tongue three times per day.

Retention of Urine

From holding the urine too long, cramp or spasm of the neck of the bladder, stone in the bladder, or other disease, which prevents the bladder contracting upon its contents, there may be retention, and the animal unable to void his urine.

The symptoms are similar to those in colic, but characterized, however, by the horse putting himself in the attitude of staling, and straining with great force, as in the act of passing water, without any, or very little, being discharged. This symptom may be present in cases of gripes or colic, the bladder acting in sympathy with the cramped intestine. All doubt may be removed by inserting the hand into the rectum, when the bladder, if full, will be found large, tense and full of water.

This disease may be recognized by the animal frequently putting himself in a position to pass urine, but without succeeding, or at most only a few drops are voided; there is also great restlessness, shifting from place to place, moaning, looking at the flanks, pawing with the fore-feet.

Treatment.—A few doses, fifteen drops each, of the H.H., given at intervals of two hours, will usually relax the spasm and afford entire relief.

When it is the result of a stone in the bladder, the movements of the horse may for a time dislodge it, but an entire cure will only be effected by an operation, for which a veterinary surgeon must be consulted.

Scanty Urine

This is a mere symptom of some other disease, such as fever, inflammation, or other morbid condition, or it may occur naturally, if there is diarrhea, loose bowels, or purging, and it always occurs in warm weather, when a horse is severely worked, from the large quantity of fluid exhaled from the skin and lungs.

A few doses, fifteen drops each, of the H.H., will soon correct the condition, as far as the health of the animal requires. The J.K., for indigestion is likewise efficient.

Diuresis, too Profuse Staling

In consequence of bad food, such as kiln-dried oats, mow-burnt hay, or of such medicines as nitre, or other diuretics, a horse may have an excessive flow of urine.

The symptoms are: The horse does not eat much, sweats easily, is soon tired, the bowels are costive, skin dry and coat rough, tongue white and there is great thirst. The water is quite clear and milky, passed often, and in large quantities. As the disease advances, the horse eats little, he gets thinner and weaker every day, breath often offensive; the dung is hard, lumpy and covered with slime; the hair stands on end, and the flow of urine becomes enormous. If not cured, death ensues.

Treatment.—The food must be changed, and none but the best given. Change of food is always of service under such circumstances.

Give fifteen drops of J.K., four times per day. This will often be efficient.

Diabetes Mellitis, which is a rare disease in the horse should not be confounded with Diuresis, which is manifested by an increased flow of urine. In Diabetes Mellitis the water is clear or greenish, limpid, sweetish, and soon accompanied with great debility and loss of flesh, usually ending fatally.

Parturition in Mares

Rarely requires either manual or medicinal assistance. A dose of A.A., given in the earlier stages of labor often quiets the restlessness and allays the wandering pains, and this conduces to the greater regularity of the process.

If the labor becomes tedious or delays, a dose of G.G., repeated if necessary every two hours, will relax the parts and assist the expulsion pains.

Self-Abuse, Seminal Emissions

A very common habit among race horses is self-abuse. As soon as young horses are stabled, from idleness, over-excitement or urinary irritation, they may begin to masturbate, and it very often increases, impairing their strength, and rendering them worthless and uncertain foal-getters, or demanding castration. The phenomena are well known and do not require a particular description.

The common practice with horsemen or trainers is to put on them what is called a “net,” an apron armed with sharp pointed tacks, so when the yard is protruded, the tacks prick him, and he draws it in. But many horses, with a little practice, become so expert that they can avoid striking the apron, and in most cases it seems rather to increase than diminish the habit.

The usual Veterinary Surgeons advise camphor, which, if given is sufficiently large quantities to diminish the habit, will notably and permanently impair the vitality and vigor of the horse.

Dr. Humphreys’ Veterinary Remedies, by arresting and lessening the irritation and morbid desire, prevent the habit, and thus, reducing the morbid desire, promote and increase the natural vigor and development of the animal.

Treatment.—Give fifteen drops of G.G., three times per day, or if urinary irritation is suspected use the H.H. instead. He should also have good food and plenty of regular exercise. If unable to give him exercise under saddle, he may be turned into a large pasture with pregnant mares.

Weak or Deficient Sexual Vigor; Impotence in Stallions

It not unfrequently happens that stallions of even good form and breed, and not deficient from inherited weakness or vice become uncertain or partially unfitted for foal-getting. This must of necessity arise late in life from failing vitality, or deficient natural strength. But it not unfrequently happens as a result of too early severe use, a drain put upon the young at a time when nature was still building up and hardening tissue, and when the over-drain made upon the green and yet unhardened sire, was more than the nutrition could repair. And it is again liable to happen from excessive use during the healthy, vigorous age of life, and the more so, if coupled with insufficient proper nourishment.

Any or all of these causes may render a stallion uncertain, and so diminish his value and the relative value of his services. It becomes important to know what treatment will restore the feeble and uncertain, and will preserve and arrest the decay, as well as restore these waning powers.

In order to restore and invigorate the deficient or waning powers, and to sustain them under severe tax, or upon the decline life, the J.K., may be given in confidence that it will sustain, restore and keep in vigor the natural virile powers.

In cases, with only some decline in vigor, a dose of fifteen drops of J.K., given two or three times per week is sufficient. When the want of vigor is more decided, a dose, two or even three times per day may be given.

Failure to come in Heat—Sterility

Failure to breed in the mare may occur in two different forms—first impotence, in which the mare fails to come in heat, and second, true sterility, in which, although she came in heat and was bred the service proved unfruitful.

The first of these cases may be due to some malformation of the sexual organs in which case it is incurable; but it is more often due to insufficient or over-feed, or lack of exercise, or over-work, or some depressing disease.

Treatment.—Correct the exercise and feeding, and give G.G., every night for a week, or, if the case is urgent, a dose morning and night, and then a dose daily until the result is manifest.

True Sterility may also be caused by malformations and be incurable, but is more often caused by other things such as a catarrhal condition of the vagina—Leucorrhea or too ardent heat, or insufficient food, or debility from disease.

The Treatment for Leucorrhea or a catarrhal condition of the organs, which may be known by a constant or frequent discharge from the vagina, give G.G., each morning and J.K., at night, and continue this for several weeks, or until she is again served.

In addition dissolve one cake of fresh compressed yeast in a pint of tepid water, then after a few hours, add another pint. Then wash the vagina well with soap and water and use the dissolved yeast as a douche, this should be done daily for several days.

Where there is an excess of excitement, too ardent or too frequent, or even constant heat, give at first, H.H., a dose morning and night, for two or three weeks, then a dose or two of G.G., and the result will usually be satisfactory.

Where there is unthriftiness or want of good condition, correct the feeding and give G.G., morning and J.K., at night.

Abortion

Abortion or premature birth may occur from three different causes:

1—Accidental Abortion.—Caused by a blow; strain; slipping on a wet floor, over-strain from pulling a heavy load, etc.

2—Enzootic Abortion.—Due to some infectious disease of the mother.

3—Contagious Abortion.—A distinct disease which causes the death and expulsion of the fetus or its expulsion in a feeble state prior to the normal period.

Symptoms of Threatened Abortion.—In the first three months of pregnancy, the appearance of a bloody, watery or mucous discharge from the vagina. In the later months, uneasiness, swelling, heat and tenderness about the udder; secretion of milk; and straining as if in labor.

Treatment of Threatened Abortion.—Give fifteen drops of G.G., every six hours, and the dose may be repeated two or three or more times should the threatening symptoms continue after the first or even the second dose has expended its action.

This interval should elapse between doses, as too rapid ones may even defeat the object, by over-excitement of the system, while a single dose often arrests an abortion if permitted to expand its action.

After a mare has actually aborted, it is almost impossible to tell whether it occurred from contagious abortion or from some other cause, so the safe thing to do is to act as if it had been contagious abortion.

Treatment of Contagious Abortion.—The fetus and membranes should be burned. The premises occupied by the sick animal should be disinfected as follows: Remove all bedding and dirt possible and spray all available parts of barn with 3% formalin or 5% carbolic acid solution. Apply white wash containing 1 lb. chloride of lime to 3 gallons of whitewash, scatter quicklime on floor and gutters.

The animal which has aborted should receive daily a vaginal irrigation of two gallons of warm water containing 2% lysol until the vaginal discharge stops. The external parts about the vagina, including the hips and tail, should be washed thoroughly with soap and water and then with the lysol solution as above, twice daily. This should also be done to all exposed pregnant animals in the herd, being careful not to use the same cloth, solution, bucket or attendant for the well animals that was used for the sick one.

Also give G.G., at intervals of six hours.

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 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.

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.