In relation to equine disease the facts brought forward are too important to be dismissed in a single paragraph. As two distinct kinds of parasitic epizoöty were discovered, the circumstances connected with their separate detection must be noticed at greater length. Further on, I shall again deal with the helminthiasis due to strongyles. It was on the 17th of April, 1874, that I received from Mr Lloyd, of Dowlais, Glamorganshire, a communication calling my attention to a fatal epizoötic affecting ponies. He supposed the outbreak to be due to parasites. On the following day I also received a parcel containing portions of the lower intestines, which had been removed from one of the diseased animals. The victim in question, a pony mare, had died on or about the 12th of April, at Llangunider, Breconshire. Mr Lloyd states in his letter that he “presumes” that the pony’s death was caused “by the presence of small worms,” examples of which he now forwarded for the purposes of identification and investigation. He also sent some equine tapeworms. Mr Lloyd had already inferred that his small worms were “strongyles;” and in regard to the tapeworms he says:—“This species of parasite has caused, or is supposed to have caused, the death of at least one hundred mountain ponies.” The investigation being immediately proceeded with, I may so far anticipate my record of the results obtained as to state at once that the facts observed by me confirmed Mr Lloyd’s suspicions—proving, beyond a doubt, that the pony above mentioned had succumbed to injuries inflicted by myriads of minute strongyles. Not only did I find the fæcal matter of the colon loaded with mature strongyles, but the walls of the intestine were also occupied with encysted and immature forms of the same nematode species. To such an extent had infection taken place, that I was enabled to count no less than thirty-nine strongyles within the space of the one fourth of a square inch. All parts of the sections of the colon under examination were almost equally invaded; so that, taking the average, I am clearly within the mark in saying that every square inch of the gut yielded at least one hundred parasites. The walls of the entire colon must therefore have been occupied by tens of thousands of these creatures, to say nothing of the scarcely less numerous examples lying free or lodged within the fæcal contents of the bowel.
In a second and more extended communication, sent in reply to inquiries as to the cestodes, Mr Lloyd (whose letter I have abridged) writes:—“I regret that I cannot give you very full particulars respecting the tapeworms. During the last twelve months mountain ponies grazing on the lower districts of Breconshire, which comprise some of the highest mountains in South Wales, have been dying in great numbers, from what the farmers indefinitely term inflammation. From what I have seen and heard, it appears that there are three causes of death, the tapeworm, the small worms (which I presumed were a kind of strongyle), and catarrhal disorders, such as have been common among horses of late. By far the greater number of deaths (from what I can glean) have been caused by the parasites. In the Ystradfellte or Penderin districts there has been no investigation, although the disease has reigned there for a longer period, about eighteen months, with (from what I have heard) a larger number of deaths than elsewhere; so I shall let these remain for the present, as I have not had an opportunity to see or hear anything authentic about them. In the Talybont district the cause appears to be the small worms (like those I sent). The owner of the animals said that a month ago, when he went to look after his ponies, they were appearing quite well, and looked as well as he could expect them at this season, but he was astonished to find some of them a fortnight ago looking very lean and wasting, and he thought that the weather was the cause of it, yet resolved to see them oftener; the next time he saw them one was dead, and knowing of the loss in the neighbourhood, and fearing he would be a sufferer, he sought aid, applying to me. When I arrived two days following two more were dead, and they presented an emaciated appearance. The post-mortem examination revealed a healthy condition of the whole of the intestines, save slight thickening of some parts of the colon and rectum, which contained, enclosed in the mucous membrane, in cysts or minute sacs, worms coiled upon themselves. Each cyst, containing one worm, was best seen by transmitted light. The colon was nearly full of fæcal matter, which contained thousands of parasites scarcely visible. The largest were very few in number, not exceeding an inch in length and barely one sixteenth in diameter at the middle portion. They somewhat tapered at both ends. The cæcum was half full of fluid fæces, containing no visible worms; the rectum, with fæces of natural consistence, the examination of which revealed only two or three evident worms; so that the examination of fæces of living animals giving results like this would not assist the diagnosis, unless suspected. Small intestines—these latter contained about a dozen bots, which were nearly free, but had pierced to the muscular coat. I should think they had participated in the disease. The right lung had been slightly congested; nothing else abnormal to be seen. Possibly congestion of lungs would arise from the distress when pained with worms, for the pony was found on its back with its head in a thicket—it had not appeared to have struggled—with its teeth firmly closed.
“Respecting the animals affected with Tænia, it is remarkable that, as a rule, they are in fair condition. The average time they appear to be troubled with the worms is two months, and the symptoms observed have been many. They are at first seen to be unable to keep up with the other ponies, extending the head and turning the upper lip up, rubbing the quarters, staring coat, suddenly appearing distracted, seizing turf in mouthfuls when being griped or pained, others running away as fast as they can go, or rolling and kicking on the ground for five or ten minutes, then walking away as if nothing had happened, if coming down a slope quickly almost sure to fall headlong, easier caught, not unfrequently coughing, groaning noise, appetite good, and, what is peculiar in some of them, lameness of one of the hind limbs, mostly the near hind leg, with slight knuckling over at fetlock.
“Post-mortem appearance.—Abdominal viscera normal, save rectum, which is in some places slightly congested; colon nearly full of fæces, no worms; cæcum, in which worms are alone found, is nearly full of fæcal matter of thicker consistence than usual, and nearly half made up of worms; stomach half full of partly digested food; heart and lungs healthy; Schneiderian membrane injected; mucous membrane of trachea and part of larger bronchiæ of a more or less livid colour (which may be owing to asphyxia); corner of tongue bitten off; mouth very close.
“Several animals were found at times lying dead together.
“Of the Tænia as many as three or four ponies, which some hours previous had been seen grazing unaffected, were found dead on the same spot; and this to my own knowledge, one farmer having lost ten.
“Of the small worms I have been told by a farmer that in his district one of his neighbours had lost twelve ponies.”
As I had partly misunderstood my informant’s original statement, Mr Lloyd, in a third communication, repeated the evidence, emphatically reminding me that “the ponies affected with tapeworms are in a district six or seven miles distant from those affected with strongyles. Those troubled with tapeworms are in good condition, as a rule, up to death; they are noticed to be troubled generally for two months previous to death, and may be seen at one hour grazing and apparently well, and dead or dying the next hour. As many as four have been found dead at the same spot. In this (the Beacons) district the tapeworms alone have been found and not a single strongyle. In the Deangunid district strongyles only have been found, such as I sent you. The ponies have been noticed ailing for three or four weeks, becoming rapidly emaciated and dying from exhaustion. In tapeworm-affected animals the cæcum is nearly half full of these parasites. The animals thus affected are on the red sandstone formation, whilst those affected with strongyles occur on the limestone formation—the latter affording the drier situation.”
Being on the teaching staff of the Royal Veterinary College I was particularly glad to have the authority of an experienced veterinary practitioner to testify to the injuriousness of Tænia perfoliata in the horse. Over and over again I had pointed out to the members of my class the desirability of examining the fæces of solipeds where obscure symptoms of intestinal irritation existed. Not only so; at the request of friends I wrote out prescriptions suitable for equine patients suffering from tapeworm. I felt the more indebted to Mr Lloyd, inasmuch as his practical views served to strengthen the propositions I had advanced in connection with internal parasites as a frequent cause of epizoötics. My views were criticised at the time with a vigour and warmth well worthy of those who are afraid of advancing epidemiological science too rapidly; but it seems that so far from my having overstepped the bounds of moderation in this matter I had, in reality, been too cautious. Certainly it can now no longer be said that “the symptoms created by tapeworms in the horse are of little or no consequence.” Here, therefore, I repeat, we have made a clear and rapid advance in our knowledge of helminthic disease; and from the impulse thus given to hippopathology it is only reasonable to look for still further advances in veterinary medicine. By-and-by, the scepticism which not unnaturally exists in reference to entozoa as a frequent cause of death amongst animals, will be dispersed by even yet clearer enunciations regarding the important part these parasites play in the destruction of our most valuable creatures.
Apart from the question incidentally raised by Mégnin as to their origin and mode of development, the presence of larval cestodes in horses cannot be passed over. The common hydatid (Echinococcus veterinorum), though not of frequent occurrence, is occasionally productive of fatal consequences. Very interesting cases are recorded by Messrs Henderson and Kirkman, aided by the valuable comments of Professor Varnell. Mr Hutchinson observed an hydatid in a horse’s eye, and Mr Vincent noticed lameness, as resulting from hydatids. But one of the most interesting cases of hydatids in solipeds is that described by Professor Huxley, from a zebra that died at the Zoological Gardens in 1852. As stated in Huxley’s elaborate memoir (freely quoted in the first part of this work), the liver was found to be “one mass of cysts, varying in size from a child’s head downwards.” The zebra’s death was purely accidental, as it broke its neck while at play in the paddock. The long bladder-worm of the horse (Cysticercus fistularia) is entirely unknown to me, and, as before suggested, may be a mere variety of the C. tenuicollis of ruminants. An authentic instance of the occurrence of the gid hydatid (Cœnurus cerebralis) in the horse is recorded by Gurlt. Lastly, in relation to the question of food, it is worthy of remark that whilst beef, veal, pork, and even mutton, are apt to be measled, the muscle-flesh of horses is not liable to be infested by Cysticerci. This is a fact in favor of hippophagy.