EXAMINATION OF A SICK HORSE. 19 



is indicated. If the discharge contains flakes and clumps of more or 

 less dried, agglutinated particles, it is probable that it originates 

 within a cavity of the head, as the sinuses or guttural pouches. The 

 discharge of glanders is of a peculiar sticl^y nature and adheres 

 tenaciously to the wings of the nostrils. The discharge of pneumonia 

 is of a somewhat red or reddish brown color, and, on this account, 

 has been described as a prune-juice discharge. The discharge may 

 contain blood. If the blood appears as clots or as streaks in the dis- 

 charge, it probably originates at some point in the upper part of the 

 respiratory tract. If the blood is in the form of a fine froth, it comes 

 from the lungs. 



In examining the interior of the nasal passage one should remem- 

 ber that the normal color of the mucous membrane is a rosy pink and 

 that its surface is smooth. If ulcers, nodules, swellings, or tumors 

 are found, these indicate disease. The ulcer that is characteristic of 

 glanders is described fully in connection with the discussion of that 

 disease. 



Between the lower jaws there are several clusters of lympathic 

 glands. These glands are so small and so soft that it is difficult to 

 find them by feeling through the skin, but when a suppurative dis- 

 ease exists in the upper part of the respiratory tract these glands 

 become swollen and easy to feel. They may become soft and break 

 down and discharge as abscesses; this is seen constantly in strangles. 

 On the other hand, they may become indurated and hard from the 

 proliferation of connective tissue and attach themselves to the jaw- 

 bone, to the tongue, or to the skin. This is seen in chronic glanders. 

 If the glands are swollen and tender to pressure, it indicates that the 

 disease causing the enlargement is acute ; if they are hard and insen- 

 sitive, the disease causing the enlargement is chronic. 



The manner in which the horse coughs is of importance in diagno- 

 sis. The cough is a forced expiration, following immediately upon a 

 forcible separation of the vocal cords. The purpose of the cough is 

 to remove some irritant substance from the respiratory passages, and 

 it occurs when irritant gases, such as smoke, ammonia, sulphur vapor, 

 or dust, have been inhaled. It occurs from inhalation of cold air if 

 the respiratory passages are sensitive from disease. In laryngitis, 

 bronchitis, and pneumonia, cough is very easily excited and occurs 

 merely from accumulation of mucus and inflammatory product upon 

 the irritated respiratory mucous membrane. If one wishes to deter- 

 mine the character of the cough, it can easily be excited by pressing 

 upon the larynx with the thumb and finger. The larynx should be 

 pressed from side to side and the pressure removed the moment the 

 horse commences to cough. A painful cough occurs in pleurisy, also 

 in laryngitis, bronchitis, and bronchial pneumonia. Pain is shown 

 by the effort the animal exerts to repress the cough. The cough is 

 not painful, as a rule, in the chronic diseases of the respiratory tract. 



