A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3682, 21 July 1886, Page 3

A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE.

[By Telegraph.] Sydney, July 18. A most serious epidemic has broken out on Coonong Station, the property of Mr S. McCaughey, amongst the horses of the station. Since Sunday six very valuable j animals have died, and ten others have j been attacked, some of which are dying. : The exact nature of tho disease is not known at present. A post mortem was made to-day by the inspector of stock, which , showed that the lungs were very much en- i larged, congested and filled with dark blood, j the tongue was very muoh enlarged and pro- ! truding ; tho passage of the throat was almost closed by the enlargement of the tongue. The other organs were healthy Two do^s, which '. wero chained close to the stable, were at- ! tacked by the disease. One is dead, and the I other nearly dead. Nothing like this disease has ever been known m tbe district be- • fore. One of the horses which has died is a draught stallion valued at 400 guineas and the others are valuable . hunters and draught horses. The Go- i vemmcnt veterinary surgeon, and Mr ! Day, private veterinary surgeon, visited the | station to investigate tho matter. They have telegraphed that the disease is local, there ' being no evidence of an epidemic. The post j mortem appearances clearly indicate the effects of poisonous irritation symptoms, and the progress of ' the disease is unusual and ambiguous. Five more horses are dead, and eleven are now under treatment by Mr Day.