10 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



of rugs dipped in hot water and wrung out, or by the use of the hot pack, 

 great care being exercised in changing them to avoid a chill in the 

 intervals. Where practicable, the employment of hot smoothing - irons 

 is to be preferred. Here a hot rug is first placed on the sides of the 

 chest, with a dry one over it, and flat-irons are applied first to one side 

 and then to the other, or to both at the same time, as may be convenient. 



BLEEDING FROM THE LUNGS— H^MOPTYSLS 



Bleeding from the lungs and bronchial passages is not of common 

 occurrence in the horse, l)ut sutficiently so to warrant a reference to it 

 here. 



Causes.-— The causes that bring it about are: (l) External violence, 

 as when the chest is punctured by a stake or other sharp instrument; 

 (2) undue fulness of the vessels of the lungs or bronchial passages, as 

 in bronchitis, pneumonia, and obstructive heart disease; (3) ulceration 

 of the tracheal or bronchial mucous membrane, as in glanders and tuber- 

 culosis, &c. Some cases come on during severe exertion and violent 

 coughing without any other obvious reason. 



Symptoms. — Pulmonary, like nasal hemorrhage, is usually sudden 

 in its onset, and may be slight or severe. The blood is mainly discharged 

 from the nostrils, but some also flows from the mouth. Bleeding from 

 the lungs, when profuse, is invariably attended with outbursts of con- 

 vulsive coughing, during which the blood, whipped into foam, is projected 

 through the nose and mouth. Moreover, the bronchial tubes may become 

 more or less blocked when the breathing becomes quick and embarrassed; 

 the horse shakes his head, paws the ground, and manifests signs of distress. 

 In slight cases, such as occur in pneumonia and some specific fevers, it 

 appears in small amount as a blood-stained discharge from the nostrils. 



Treatment. — Here, as in bleeding from the nose, the patient must 

 be placed in a cool, clean box and kept perfectly quiet. A little ice in 

 the water will be of advantage in arresting the hemorrhage, but it is 

 doubtful if the forcible administration of medicines is not rather mischievous 

 than otherwise. A little ergotin injected beneath the skin, and free spong- 

 ing of the face with cold water, is as much as can reasonably be done. 



If in his water the patient can be induced to drink 4 ounces of sulphate 

 of magnesia on two successive days, benefit will result from a free action 

 of the bowels. The body should be well clothed so as to keep the surface 

 circulation active. 



