Williams follows a popular fashion in describing under the above names
an affection which may be only a form of equine influenza, but which may
be named by itself until its true place can be defined by proof of its
actual pathogenic microörganism.
Beside the general constitutional disturbance, this condition is
distinguished by marked hyperthermia (103° to 104°), swollen, congested,
watering eyelids, cough, strong pulse becoming gradually feeble, firmly
coagulating blood, irritable bowels, painful passage of fæces, and,
above all, a frequent movement of the feet indicative of discomfort and
followed by swelling, often excessive, of the limb or limbs, by a
cutaneous and subcutaneous exudate. These various phenomena may all be
but manifestations of the rather protean disease, equine influenza, and
the cellulitis but variations of the rheumatoid and arthritic forms
which are so common in the regular type of that disease in cold or wet
climates, or seasons. Williams claims that a prominent danger is the
formation of clots in the heart and large vessels and advocates the free
use of the salts of ammonia and potash with stimulants. The treatment
does not essentially differ from that of equine influenza except in the
call for special applications to the inflamed eyes and infiltrated
limbs.