146 PRACTICE OF EQUINE MEDICINE. 



There is also the symptom of breaking wind, a discharge of 

 flatus from the intestines; in some cases, when the animal coughs, 

 it is a dry and abortive cough; as a rule, it is single, dry, smoth- 

 ered, and abortive. 



When eating dusty food, as hay and the like, they often have 

 a fit of coughing. If associated with chronic bronchitis, a dis- 

 charge is often present, which is whitish in color. 



On percussion, we have extra resonance or hyper-resonance; 

 in some cases we cannot percuss to any advantage in this disease, 

 as the edges of the lungs are affected. 



On auscultation, we find the inspiration very short; the expira- 

 tion is of longer duration and interrupted, and, on listening, we 

 hear undetermined sounds; as a rule, we hear dry or moist rales, 

 and varying according to whether bronchitis is present or not. 



How is the disease diagnosed ? 



It ought to be easily made out, as the disease is non-febrile; 

 the cough, which is single, dry, and abortive; the to-and-fro move- 

 ment of the anus, and the breaking of wind. 



On inspiration, we find the chest somewhat enlarged, while the 

 expiratory act is double. 



Absence of signs of pneumonia, pleurisy and bronchitis, which 

 are febrile affections. 



What is the treatment ? 



It is incurable in the majority of cases, but many animals are 

 benefited very much by special feeding, and by medicinal agents. 



First we usually give a dose of physic — a purging-ball of aloes; 

 these animals suffer with indigestion, flatulence, catarrh of the in- 

 testines, and the like, and a purge gets rid of this indigestible food. 



By careful attention to the diet we may lessen the symptoms. 



When it is due to dry, dusty hay, limit the quantity of hay and 

 dampen it with water, or with salt-water. 



In some cases wet the oats. 



The medicinal remedy is arsenic. In Europe the people eat 

 arsenic in order to enable them to climb the mountains better. 



Arsenic prevents destruction and elimination of the oxygen 

 carriers. 



We use arsenic best in the shape of Fowler's Solution (liquor 

 potassas arsenitis), also called liquor potassii Fowleri; this consists 

 of eighty grains of arsenic, eighty grains of potassium carbonate. 



