66 THE ARMY HORSE. 



If the animal breathes with great difficulty, manifested by 

 making a loud, wheezing sound, an opening should be made in 

 his windpipe and the edges of the opening held apart by 

 inserting a suture in each side, tying the silk ends up over the 

 neck; or, a tube may be inserted in the opening. This opera- 

 tion is called tracheotomy . 



The sore-throat patient should never, he drenched. If the 

 horse should cough Avhile taking medicine in this manner, the 

 liquid might enter the lungs and cause pneumonia. 



Fever may be combatted by cold-water injections into the 

 rectum, 1 to 2 gallons at a time. 



STRANGLES, COMMONLY CALLED "DISTEMPER." 



Strangles is an acute, infectious disease, and usually attacks 

 young horses. 



Symptoms. — The disease begins Avith a high fever, ranging 

 from 101° to 106° ; a discharge from the nose, at first watery, 

 rapidly becoming thicker, and later assuming a whitish-gray 

 or greenish-3'ellow color. The glands below the lower jaw 

 become swollen, hot, and painful; loss of appetite, depression, 

 great muscular weakness, and, occasionally, swelling of the 

 hind legs follow. Sometimes a swelling may be found on some 

 portion of the windpipe or other part of the body. 



Treatment. — Separate the sick animal from the healthy ones 

 and j^lace him in a well-ventilated stall, free from drafts; clean 

 the nostrils frequenth^ ; clothe the body according to the season 

 of the A^ear; apply hot poultices to the abscess several times 

 daily, and, as soon as pus is formed, open and wash twice daily. 



Give easily digested food, green fodder, roots, or slops made 

 of bran or steamed oats, and to his drinking Avater add ^ 

 ounce of saltpeter; do not drench, as the throat in many cases 

 is sore. 



PNEUMONIA. 



Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung structure, and 

 usuall}^ runs a course of from seven to ten days. 



Causes. — Among the external causes of the disease are to be 

 particularly mentioned excessiA^e exertion and cold ; also care- 

 lessness in glAang a drench, particularly if the animal has a 

 sore throat. 



Syrnptoms. — The first symptom is an intense fever accompa- 

 nied b}' a chill ; the patient shoAvs great fatigue and muscular 

 weakness; temperature ranges from 103° to 107°, the appetite 



