192 THE HORSE. 



ofi* hundreds of horses; and that breeder is fortunate, who dors not r.oM 

 isonietimes sullcr from its ravages. Tlie treatment of it is very unsatis- 

 factory. The prevention may be a little more in our power, by cndcav- 

 curing to get rid of the previous disease by one bleeding, when, in some 

 seasons, catarrhal fever appears under a form more than usually violent; 

 and by bleeding with extreme caution, or not bleeding at all, when debility 

 begins to appear. A mild purgative may be first administered to carry 

 off a portion of the offensive matter contained in the bowels ; after which, 

 chalk, and ginger, and opium, and gentian, and columbo, with port-wine, 

 may be plentifully given, with green meat, or thick-gruel ; but except the 

 hor.se be valuable, the chance of saving him is so slight, and probably the 

 danger of spreading the pest so great, that prudence will prompt his 

 destruction. 



Most frequent in occurrence among the consequences of catarrhal fever, 

 and inflammation of the lungs, is 



CHRONIC COUGH. 



It would occupy more space than we can devote to this part of our subject, 

 to speak of all the causes of obstinate cough. The irritability of so great 

 a portion of the air-passagqs, occasioned by previous and violent inflam- 

 mation of them, is the most frequent. It is sometimes connected with 

 worms. There is much sympathy between the lungs and the intestines, 

 and the one very readily participates in the irritation produced in the 

 other. That it is caused by glanders, can be easily imagined, because 

 that disease is, in its early stage, seated in or near the principal air-passages, 

 and little time passes before the lungs become affected. It is the necessary 

 attendant of thick-wind and broken-wind, for these proceed from alterations 

 of the structure of the lungs. 



Notwithstanding the clearness of the cause, the cure is not so evident. 

 If a harsh, hollow cough be accompanied bv a staring coat, and the 

 appearance of worms, a few worm-balls may expel these parasites, and 

 remove the irritation of the intestinal canal. If it proceed from irritability 

 of the air-passages, which will be discovered by the horse coughing after 

 drinking, or when he first goes out of the stable in the morning, or by his 

 occasional throwing out thick mucus irom the nose, medicine may be 

 given, and sometimes with advantage, to diminish irritation generally. 

 Half-doses of the digitalis, emetic tartar, and nitre, given every night, have 

 had a very beneficial effect, especially when made up with tar, which seems 

 to have a powerful influence in allaying these irritations. These balls 

 should be regularly given for a considerable time. They are sufficiently 

 powerful to quiet slight excitement of this kind, but not to nauseate the 

 horse, or iiiterfere in the slightest degree with his food or his wcrk. A 

 blister, extending from the root of one ear to that of the other, f^Aing in 

 the whole of the channel, and reaching six or eight inches down the wind- 

 pipe, has been tried, and not without good effect, on the supposition that 

 the irritation may exist in the fauces or the larynx ; and the blister has 

 sometimes been extended through the whole course of the windpipe, until 

 it enters the chest. 



Feeding has much influence on this complaint. Too much dry meat, 

 and especially chaff, increases it. It is aggravated when the horse is 

 suffered to eat his litter; and it is often relieved when spring tares are 

 given. Carrots afford decided relief. 



The seat of the disease, however, is so uncertain, and all our means and 

 'aiipliancos, so ineflicacious, and the cough itself so little interfering, and 



