THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 105 



which are chronic, or of long standing. In the first, 

 there is generally some discharge from the lungs, but 

 in the latter, there is seldom any discharge what- 

 ever. 



" As the horse does not expectorate through the 

 mouth, the mucous is coughed up into the nose, from 

 whence it is afterwards discharged by the action of 

 sneezing. But in the old or dry cough, as there is no 

 mucous coughed up, so the horse does not sneeze after 

 coughing ; and much reliance is placed on this circum- 

 stance by dealers in forming their opinion as to the 

 state of a horse's lungs. 



" It is therefore their custom to pinch the upper 

 part of the trachea or windpipe, to force the horse to 

 cough, so as to enable them to ascertain whether he is 

 sound in his wind ; and although this is by no means 

 an infallible criterion, still there is a very manifest dif- 

 ference between the cough of a sound horse and one 

 that is broken-winded ; inasmuch as the one is clear, 

 full, and sonorous, whilst the latter is short, and gene- 

 rally attended with a wheezing noise, and mostly ac- 

 companied by a discharge of wind from the fundament, 

 in consequence of the sudden contraction of the abdo- 

 minal muscles in the effort to expel the air from the 

 lungs. Many curious tricks are said to be practised 

 by the lower class of horse-dealers, such as giving the 

 animal a large quantity of oil, and sometimes a quantity 

 of leaden shot, both equally ridiculous and unavailing ; 

 but the most absurd practice of all, is the custom of 

 making an artificial and additional opening to the anus, 

 with a view of more easily letting out the wind with 

 which horses in this state are particularly troubled. 

 This flatulency or collection of air in the intestines, 

 has no connexion whatever with the cavities of the 

 chest ; and the only inconvenience which it occasions, 



p 



