PINK-EYE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7886, 18 December 1903, Page 2

PINK-EYE.

: — « THE DREADED HORSE DISEASE. REPORTED OUTBREAK IN CHRISTCHURCH. TWENTY-FOUR HORSES ATTACKED IN ONE STABLE. Mr Robertson, Government Veterinarian, believes that the disease which, has attacked the horses of Christchurch lately is the dreaded pink-eye. In. spite of opinions to the contrary, he says that there is no possible manner of douhb on the subject. He has seen horses suffering from pink-eye in England, and 1 he recognises it in horses he has examined in this city. Mr Turner, Inspector of Stock, agrees with the veterinarian, and §ays that a paragraph telegraphed from Wellington last evening, and published in the "Lyttelton Times" this morning, stating that he advised the Department that horses here supposed to be attacked hy pink-eye were really suffering from common influenza, is incorrect. Yesterday Mr Robertson feosived the following telegram from headquarters: — "Reported here that severe outbreak of pinkeye has occurred in Christchurch. Do you know anything about it?" He will forward his report to-day, and in it he will state that in one stable alone twenty-four cases have occurred since Saturday. When a reporter called upon the 'officials at the stable, he was informed that there had not been any death?, and most of the sick 'horses were nearly convalescent. THE SYMPTOMS. The disease, Mr Robertson explains, is a bad form of influenza. It attacks horses just as influenza attacks human beings. There are swollen heads and limbs, extreme depression, high fever, rapid emaciation and a profuse flow of tears down the face. Opacity of the cornea, the transparent membrane in the fore-parb of the eye,, swelling of the eyelids and extreme sore throat are also among the symptoms. Sometimes the disease appears in a malignant form, sometimes in. a benign one. So far as is known, it is the latter that has attacked horses in -Christchurch. The disease is specially prevalent in the United States, but there are periodical outbreaks in England. The London horses have been severe sufferers,. Pink-eye can be easily distinguished from common influenza hy the rapid emaciation that follows an attack, the flesh apparently melting away from the bones, by the swelling of the eyelids, the great flow of tears, the extremely sore throat, the inflammation about the head and the depression that ensues. In a few days a horse that has been attacked will dwindle away to a skeleton. The treatment, Mr Robertson says, is palliative. The disease will run its course. Animals attacked should be immediately isolated and treated according to the symptoms. If the breathing becomes very difficult, tracheotomy should be performed and a tube inserted. It is supposed that this is the first outbreak of the disease in New Zealand. -At any/ rate, Mr Robertson has not heard of its appearance here before. He thinks that it has probably been introduced, by horseclothing from infected countries. It may have come from South Africa. Horses from all parts of the world have 'been sent to that country, and they took with them all kindte of disease. It is likely that they have sent pink-eye to New Zealand. It must not *be supposed -that all horses with: colds have been attacked by pink-eye. Common influenzal is often contracted owing to a change in climate and atmosphere, and horses frequently suffer until they become used to new stables to which they have been removed. When Mr Robertson was in England, about 400 horses were shipped every week from Canada to Liverpool. Owing to the change of climate they Avere absolutely unfit for work for about three weeks. The Christ c'huYoli officers of the Agricultural! Department will bo glad to learn of suspicious cases, so that tliey may be looked into. mmmmm.^^^*^m~-^m. ■