404 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



and place him in a comfortable loose box ; give him a sponge bath with 

 alcohol and plenty of friction from head to foot ; also cold water to drink 

 in small quantities, and give recipe No. 30, in a little water, till the 

 breathing and circulation are normal. If it does not yield to this treat- 

 ment, and pneumonia is incvita])le, adopt the treatment prescribed for 

 that without delay, and apply it vigorously. Approaching pneumonia will 

 be noticed by a rise in temperature. If the temperature goes above 101 ® 

 Fahr. and the breathing continues labored, look out for pneumonia. 



Prevention. — Feed a horse according to his work. If he is doing 

 daily hard work there is very little danger of overfeeding, but if the 

 work is light and little of it, feed sparingly on heavy grain. Give daily 

 regular exercise. There is very much less danger of derangements if the 

 horse goes out every day than if he only goes out once or twice a 

 week, and he is able to do ten times the work from the fact that he is in 

 a strong, vigorous condition — muscular without being fat. 



XI. Pleurisy. 



The lining of the chest and coverings of the lungs are serous mem- 

 branes that secrete a serous, slippery moisture that prevents friction by 

 rubbing of the lungs against the ribs — called the pleura. Inflammation 

 of these serous membranes is known as pleurisy. It is attended with 

 great pain, and is often followed by hydrothorax or filling of the chest 

 with water, which is generally fatal. Pleurisy may exist alone or with 

 pneumonia ; then it is called pleuro-pneumonia. 



Causes. — Any sudden exposure to cold rains ; drafts in the stable, 

 especially if the horse comes in warm. It would be very prevalent if the 

 inflammation in these parts did not go to the feet by metastasis as often 

 as it does. See founder or laminitis. 



How to know it. — The horse has a chill, followed by high fever ; 

 great pain in the chest, shown by colicky pains ; nose turned around towards 

 the chest frequently ; ears and legs are cold ; breathing hurried ; pulse 

 quick, from 50 to 75 per minute ; temperature raised three or four de- 

 gress ; elbows turned out, and a line along the lower edges of the ribs 

 denoting a fixed position of them to prevent friction in the chest ; loss of 

 appetite ; great pain evinced upon pressure with the fingers between the 

 ribs ; a grating sound heard by the ear applied to the sides, made by the 

 rubbing of the parts internally, which are rendered dry by the inflam- 

 mation. 



If recovery takes place, it is usually within four days : but if it con- 

 tinues longer than that, effusion takes place, and the chest begins to fill 

 with water, floating the lungs up and forming hydrothorax. If the chest 

 does not fill more than one-third, it will usually absorb, and he will re- 

 cover ; but if the chest fills more than one-third full, it is usually fatal. 



