HORSE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



77 



whistling is the result of a palsy of some 

 particular muscle, but undoubtedly it may 

 safely be asserted that all lesions of the 

 larynx, by which the shape and area of its 

 opening (rima glottidis) are altered and 

 diminished, are sure to have a prejudicial 

 effect upon the wind, and either to pro- 

 duce roaring, whistling, wheezing, or 

 trumpeting, but which would result it 

 might be difficult to say, although the 

 precise condition of the larynx were 

 known, which it cannot be during life. 

 Until recently veterinary surgeons were 

 puzzled by often finding on examination 

 of a roarer's larynx after death no visible 

 organic change in the opening, and many 

 were led to imagine that this part could 

 not be the seat of the disease. On a 

 careful dissection, however, it is found 

 that a muscle or muscles whose office it is 

 to dilate the larynx is wasted and flabby 

 (crico-arytenoideus lateralis and thyro- 

 arytenoideus). The other muscles are 

 perhaps equally atrophied, but as their 

 office is to close the opening, their defects 

 are not equally injurious, and at all events 

 are not shown by producing an unnatural 

 noise The cause of this wasting is to be 

 looked for in the pressure upon the nerve 

 which supplies these muscles, and which 

 passes through an opening in the posterior 

 ala of the thyroid cartilage, so that what- 

 ever causes a displacement of that part 

 will mechanically affect the nerve. For 

 these several reasons it will be necessary 

 to examine, first of all, into the several 

 kinds of inflammation, etc., to which the 

 larynx is subject, and then to investigate 

 as far as we may the nature, mode of de- 

 tection, and treatment of the several con- 

 ditions known to horsemen by the names 

 of roaring, whistling, etc., which are only 

 symptoms of one or other of the diseases 

 to which allusion will presently be made. 

 By acute laryngitis is meant a more 

 than ordinary inflammation of the larynx, 

 and not that slightly morbid condition in 

 which the mucous membrane of that or- 

 gan is always involved in " the passage of 

 a cold into the chest." In the latter state 

 the ear detects no unusual sound, and in- 

 deed there is plenty of room for the air 

 to pass. But in true laryngitis, on placing 

 the ear near the throat, a harsh, rasping 

 sound is heard, which is sufficient at once 

 to show the nature and urgency of the 

 symptoms. The mucous membrane is 



swollen, and tinged with blood ; the rima. 

 glottidis is almost closed, and the air in 

 passing through it produces the sound 

 above described, which, however, is some- 

 times replaced by a stridulous or hissing 

 one. In conjunction with this well- 

 marked symptom there is always a hoarse 

 cough of a peculiar character, and some 

 considerable fever, with frequent .respira- 

 tion, and a hard, wiry pulse of seventy to 

 eighty. The treatment must be of the 

 most active kind, for not only is life 

 threatened, but even if a fatal result does 

 not take place, there is great danger of 

 permanent organic mischief to the deli- 

 cate apparatus of the larynx, generally 

 from the effusion of lymph into the sub- 

 mucous cellular membrane. A full bleed- 

 ing should at once be practised, and re- 

 peated at the end of twelve hours if there 

 is no relief afforded and the pulse still 

 continues hard. The hair should be cut 

 off the throat, and the tincture of can- 

 tharides brushed on in a pure state until 

 a blister arises, when the part may be con- 

 stantly well fomented, to encourage the 

 discharge. Large doses of tartar emetic, 

 calomel, and digitalis, must also be given, 

 but their amount and frequency should be 

 left to an experienced veterinarian, the 

 preliminary bleeding and blistering being 

 done in his absence to save time. It is a 

 case in which medicine must be pushed 

 as far as can be done with safety, and this 

 cannot well be left to any one who is not 

 well acquainted with its effects, and with 

 the powers of the animal economy. 

 Cruel is he only food allowed during the 

 acute stage, and there is seldom time to 

 have recourse to aperient physic until the 

 urgent symptoms are abated, when an 

 ordinary dose may be given. During 

 convalescence the greatest care must be 

 taken to prevent a relapse, by avoiding 

 all excitement either by stimulating food 

 or fast exercise. 



Chronic Laryngitis may occur as the 

 result of the acute form above described, 

 or it may come on gradually, without any 

 violent inflammation preceding it. In 

 either case the symptoms are similar in 

 their nature to those met with in the acute 

 form, but less in degree. The noise made 

 is not nearly so harsh, and can often 

 hardly be heard on the most careful ex- 

 amination. The peculiar, harsh, grating 

 cough is, however, always present, and by 



