86 



HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



without calling into play all the muscles 

 of the chest. The presence of un- 

 changed air is a constant source of irri- 

 tation to the lungs, and although suffi- 

 cient may be expired easily enough to 

 carry on their functions while the body is 

 at rest, yet instinctively there is a desire 

 to get rid of the surplus, and hence the 

 two acts of respiration. Immediately 

 after this second act the muscles relax, 

 and the flank falls in, and this it is which 

 catches the eye in so remarkable a man- 

 ner. On examination after death, the 

 lungs are found to remain enlarged, and 

 do not collapse as in the healthy condi- 

 tion. They are distended with air; and 

 this is especially the case when the em- 

 physema is of the kind called interlobu- 

 lar, in which the air has escaped into the 

 cellular membrane. In the most com- 

 mon kind, however, the cells are broken 

 down, several being united together, 

 while the enlargement pressing upon the 

 tube which has opened into them dimin- 

 ishes its capacity, and prevents the ready 

 escape of air. This is the vesicular em- 

 physema of pathologists. The former is 

 generally suddenly produced by a severe 

 gallop after a full meal, while the latter 

 is a slow growth, and often occurs at 

 grass, as a consequence of neglected 

 chronic cough, the constant muscular 

 efforts appearing gradually to dilate the 

 cells. 



The treatment can only be palliative, 

 as there is no recognized cure for the dis- 

 ease, though M. Hew, of Chaumont, has 

 lately published a report of ten cases in 

 which treatment by arsenic given with 

 green food or straw, and in some cases 

 bleeding, was perfectly successful. The 

 arsenic was given to the extent of fifteen 

 grains daily, and at the end of a fort- 

 night the symptoms of broken wind were 

 completely removed; but as the horses 

 were not subsequently watched, it is im- 

 possible to say whether the cure was per- 

 manent. It is known, however, that one 

 of them relapsed after three months, but 

 speedily yielded to a repetition of the 

 treatment. It may certainly be worth 

 while to try the experiment of the effect 

 of arsenic where a broken-winded horse 

 is valuable in other respects. The medi- 

 cine is not expensive, and the length of 

 time necessary for the treatment is not 

 very great. Broken-winded horses should 



be carefully dieted, and even then con- 

 fined to slow work. The food should be 

 in small compass, consisting chiefly of 

 wheat-straw chaff, with a proper quantity 

 of oats, and beans may be added if the 

 animal is not very young. The water 

 should never be given within an hour of 

 going out of the stable, but it is better to 

 leave a constant supply, when too much 

 will never be taken. Carrots are pecu- 

 liarly suited to this disease, and a diet of 

 bran mixed with carrots, sliced, has some- 

 times been known to relieve a broken- 

 winded horse most materially. 



HORSE, Wind, Thick in.— Thick wind 

 is the horseman's term for any defective 

 respiration, unaccompanied by a noise, or 

 by the signs of emphysema just alluded 

 to. It usually follows pneumonia, but it 

 may arise from chronic bronchitis, occa- 

 sioning a thickening of the mucous mem- 

 brane lining the bronchial tubes, and thus 

 lessening their diameter, or it may accom- 

 pany phthisic when the deposit of tuber- 

 cles is extensive. No treatment will be 

 of any service except such as will aid the 

 play of the lungs mechanically, by avoid- 

 ing overloading the stomach, as men- 

 tioned in the last section. 



HORSE, Diaphragm, Spasm, of the, in. — 



Some horses, when at all distressed by the 

 severity of their gallops, communicate to 

 the rider a most unpleasant sensation, as 

 if some internal part was given a sudden 

 blow or flap. This is not only a sensa- 

 tion, but a reality, for the diaphragm being 

 naturally weak, or overstrained at some 

 previous period, acts spasmodically in 

 drawing in the air. If the horse thus 

 affected is ridden onwards afterwards, he 

 will be placed in danger of suffocation and 

 death, either from rupture of the dia- 

 phragm, or from its cessation to act, or 

 from its permanently contracting and re- 

 fusing to give way during expiration. 

 There is no cure for the weakness which 

 tends to produce the spasm, and all that 

 can be done is to avoid using the horse 

 affected with it at any very fast pace, and 

 over a distance of* ground. Urgent 

 symptoms may be relieved by a cordial 

 drench, such as the following: 



Take of Laudanum 6 drachms. 



Ether ij£ ounce. 



Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia 3 drachms. 



Tincture of Ginger - - - 3 drachms. 



Ale 1 pint. Mix. 



