22 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



point of the elbow. The thinner and the better bred the horse is the 

 more distinctly this impact is felt. If the animal is excited, or if he 

 has just been exercised, the impact is stronger than when the horse is 

 at rest. If the horse is weak, the impact is reduced in force. 



The examination of the heart with the ear is an important mat- 

 ter in this connection. Certain sounds are produced by each contrac- 

 tion of the normal heart. It is customary to divide these into two, 

 and to call them the first and second sounds. These two sounds are 

 heard during each pulsation, and any deviation of the normal indi- 

 cates some alteration in the structure or the functions of the heart. 

 In making this examination, one may apply the left ear over the 

 heavy muscles of the shoulder back of the shoulder joint, and just 

 above the point of the elbow, or, if the sounds are not heard distinctly, 

 the left fore leg may be drawn forward by an assistant and the right 

 ear placed against the lower portion of the chest wall that is exposed 

 in this manner. 



Temperature. The temperature of the horse is determined 

 roughly by placing the fingers in the mouth or between the thighs or 

 by allowing the horse to exhale against the cheek or back of the hand. 

 In accurate examination, however, these means of determining tem- 

 perature are not relied upon, but recourse is had to the use of the 

 thermometer. The thermometer used for taking the temperature of 

 a horse is similar to that used by physicians, but larger, being from 5 

 to 6 inches long. The temperature of the animal is measured in the 

 rectum. 



The normal temperature of the horse varies somewhat under 

 different conditions. It is higher in the young animal than in the 

 old, and is higher in hot weather than in cold. The weather and ex- 

 ercise decidedly influence the temperature. The normal temperature 

 varies from 99.5 to 101 F. If the temperature rises to 102.5 the 

 horse is said to have a low fever; if the temperature reaches 104 the 

 fever is moderate; if it reaches 106 it is high, and above this point 

 it is regarded as very high. In some diseases, such as tetanus or sun- 

 stroke, the temperature goes as high as 108 or 110. In the ordi- 

 nary infectious diseases it does not often exceed 106. A temperature 

 of 107.5 and above is very dangerous and must be reduced promptly 

 if the horse is to be saved. 



The Organs of Respiration. In examining this system of or- 

 gans and their functions it is customary to begin by noting the fre- 

 quency of the respiratory movements. This point can be determined 

 by observing the motions of the nostrils or of the flanks ; on a cold 

 day one can see the condensation of the moisture of the warm air as 

 it comes from the lungs. The normal rate of respiration for a healthy 

 horse at rest is from 8 to 16 per minute. The rate is faster in young 

 animals than in old, and is increased by work, hot weather, overfill- 

 ing of the stomach, pregnancy, lying upon the side, etc. 



The expired air is of about the temperature of the body. It con- 

 tains considerable moisture, and it should come with equal force from 

 each nostril and should not have an unpleasant odor. If the stream 

 of air from one nostril is stronger than from the other, there is an in- 



