CHAPTER XII 



DISEASES AFFECTING THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 



THE commonest disease of the respiratory system is 

 catarrh, in some one of its many forms. 



Catarrh is an inflammation of a mucous membrane, 

 associated with an excessive discharge of mucus. It 

 may attack any mucous membrane of the body, but un- 

 less some other region is specified it is understood that 

 the name catarrh refers to the disease affecting the 

 mucous lining of the nose and throat. The two kinds 

 of catarrh (of respiratory passages) are acute and 

 chronic. 



ACUTE CATARRH 



Acute catarrh comes on rather suddenly, and is gen- 

 erally severe. It is often associated with an infectious 

 distemper, or influenza. A "cold in the head" is a form 

 of the disease. Catarrh is frequently brought on by 

 exposure to cold and wet when the animal is warm or 

 out of condition. It sometimes passes from animal to 

 animal. Most large sale stables are infested with an 

 influenza, which manifests itself as acute catarrh. 



The animal appears dull. There *is often a chill 

 in the early stage, followed by fever. The mucous 

 membranes of the nose and eyes are congested and 

 red. There is a discharge of mucus from the nostrils., 



(279)' 



