Company Of Spears

‘Worm in the aqueous humour. You must have seen it often enough in India. Rare here, though. Can’t think how it could have got there; certainly nothing to do with the other condition, though I wouldn’t have seen it had I not been looking at them all so closely for the symptoms.’

But Hervey was unimpressed. ‘I gave orders for the infected horses to be destroyed. Why did not you carry them out?’

Sam Kirwan looked surprised. ‘Because you gave the orders when you believed the sickness to be farcy or glanders. But it is no such thing. I have observed it very closely, and I may with some certainty pronounce it to be influenza.’

Hervey in turn looked puzzled. ‘Influenza? How can influenza be confused with farcy or glanders? And is influenza not bad horse-management? A Troop’s men aren’t greenheads!’

Sam Kirwan looked about. ‘Hervey, may we go to my surgery? I should feel better able to explain myself.’

Hervey was not entirely placated by the news that it was neither farcy nor glanders, though in his own mind he was already conceding that the veterinarian was correct in staying the destruction of the horses. Except that influenza passed from horse to horse even more quickly than glanders, and the complications were sometimes lethal. It was not impossible, therefore, that the regiment’s losses would be worse.

‘Will you sit down?’ asked Sam as they entered his surgery, a room lined with bottles, and enough bones for three skeletons. ‘I can’t offer hospitality, I’m afraid.’

Hervey was content to forgo coffee, smarting as he still was from the unnecessary order to have fifty troopers destroyed. ‘Why the damned scare about glanders if all it is is a cold?’

‘It’s more than just a cold, Hervey,’ said Sam, shaking his head. ‘Any horse that gets it won’t be fit for hard work this side of a month.’

‘Very well, but how could influenza be mistaken for glanders – or farcy I think the first report had it.’

Sam shook his head again. ‘It’s not really that difficult, although you will recall I would not commit myself.’

Hervey shrugged. ‘In truth, Sam, I do believe you said you didn’t think it was glanders.’

‘Well, to answer your question, the common symptom is catarrh; and fever. The trouble is, glanders takes several forms, as you’re no doubt aware, but always with the glandular swelling – of the lymphatic specifically. In different years and places influenza, too, varies much in intensity and in some of its symptoms. Therefore it is not unreasonable to be uncertain of which illness is present in the early stages.’

Hervey took off his forage cap and placed it on the table, a sure sign that cool reason was returning. ‘How prudent you were. It would have cost you nothing to put them down.’

‘Well,’ said Sam, with a sigh, ‘I confess it was not entirely without self-interest. I’ve been collecting blood and mucus from the infected animals – the ones recovering, that is – and I intend inoculating some of the others to see what is the effect. With your leave, of course.’

Hervey’s brow furrowed. ‘We’re taking the most active steps to prevent the spread of the disease are we not, and you now want to spread it deliberately!’

‘Both are true, but I should carry out the experiment in such a way that the animal I inoculated, if it developed the influenza, would not be able to infect others.’

Hervey looked gravely doubtful. ‘Sam, we do not have the best of things at present – you won’t yet have heard of last night’s affair at the powder mills. This is not the best of times to be risking even one horse.’ He took a deep breath. ‘But I trust your science, God help me! How many horses?’

Sam smiled. ‘Ten; perhaps not even that.’

Hervey nodded slowly. ‘Very well. And all from A Troop?’

‘No, I need some which have had no opportunity of infection.’ ‘Very well.’

Hervey leaned back in his chair, wishing now that there was coffee. ‘What does your science say of these diseases, Sam? I know Clater, but he says little. I don’t suppose you hold him in any regard.’

‘On the contrary: some of his cures, his medicines – perhaps the majority even – are of no use whatsoever, but they are at least harmless!’

‘He was no scientist.’

‘He was writing thirty years ago and more. I think you should dispose of your Clater. I’ll recommend a more scientific volume.’

‘When you have written it?’ He held up a hand to stay the protest. ‘Tell me of your science, Sam. Why do we seem to do no different from when I was cornet?’