Asthma. Broken Wind. Heaves. Dyspnoea. 283 



dry and almost inaudible cough, the wheezing noise in breathing 

 when that is accelerated b)' exertion, and the intestinal flatulence 

 with the frequent passage of gas. 



The cough usually heralds the advent of other symptoms. Often 

 the character of the cough draws forth the remark that an animal 

 is becoming broken winded and though no other symptom is seen 

 at this time they thereafter rapidly develop themselves. At this 

 early stage of the disease the cough is paroxysmal, coming on in 

 fits during work or after a drink of cold water. Once the disease 

 is established the horse rarely coughs more than once at a time. 

 The cough is extremely short, weak and low and followed by a 

 sort of wheeze. So specific is it that if once heard it can readily 

 be recognized. The sudden effort made in coughing usually leads 

 to the expulsion of gas from the flatulent bowels. 



The double lifting of the flank in expiration is not peculiar to 

 broken wind. It is seen as well in most diseases of the lungs and 

 even of other organs (enteritis, peritonitis) which interfere with 

 the freedom of the respiratory act. If however it is not attended 

 by fever but associated with the broken winded cough, the wheez- 

 ing respiration, the disordered and flatulent state of the bowels, 

 the tumultuous beating of the heart against the left side after ex- 

 ertion, and the slight flow of clear, watery matter from the nose, 

 it is pathognomonic. The act of inspiration is quick and free, that 

 of expiration is not uniform and continuous as in health, but con- 

 sists of two stages interrupted by a momentar}' arrest. In the 

 first stage the posterior part of the abdomen is slightly raised and 

 and it falls in laterally ; then comes an almost imperceptible pe- 

 riod of inaction, followed at once by the further lifting of the 

 flanks to complete the expulsion of air from the lungs. The first 

 stage seems the natural collapse of the walls of the chest and for- 

 ward movement of the diaphragm, the second a contraction of the 

 abdominal muscles partly due to an exercise of will to over- 

 come the obstacle to the expulsion of air. 



In ver}' bad or advanced cases these sj'mptoms are more marked. 

 The inspiration is sudden and manifested by a rapid expansion of 

 the chest, and dropping of the belly previously supported by ac- 

 tive contraction of the abdominal muscles. The two stages of the 

 expiratory act are quite distinct. The first is manifested by a 

 sudden falling in of the walls of the chest so that the ribs no longer 



