PNEUMONIxi AND CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS 547 



PNEUMONIA AND CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS 



These diseases, associated as they are in human practice, and spoken of 

 a3 different stages of the same affection, have quite a different significance 

 for the veterinarian. Pneumonia he understands as inflammation of the 

 paraxchyma or lung substance, but congestion of the lungs is a condition 

 in which the pulmonary vessels are engorged as a result of over-exertion 

 in an unfit state, and not caused by cold or invasion from other parts of the 

 respiratory tract. 



Pneumoxja. — The causes are much the same as those which produce 

 catarrh or common cold, such as exposure to cold, draughts when heated, 

 damp stables, injudicious clipping, crowding aboard ship and other unhealthy 

 conditions by which an adequate supply of pure air is not provided. By 

 invasion, or extension, as when bronchitis primarily exists, and the paren- 

 chyma becomes associated with it, when it is called broncho-pneumonia, or 

 by extension from the pleura, when the condition is known as pleuro- 

 pneumonia. 



Symptoms. — Rigors, or shivering fits, usher in most acute inflammatory 

 affections, but are not always observed by the attendants. Refusing the 

 food may be the first symptom noticed, and further examination show that 

 the coat is staring, the extremities cold, the visible membranes more or less 

 injected, the breathing hurried and shallow, with cough variable in character, 

 Tt is not the loud, harsh cough of laryngitis, but deeper and infrequent, as if 

 the pain caused in coughing were so great as to induce the animal to suppress 

 it altogether. There are to be met with umnistakable cases of pneumonia 

 in which cough is not present at all. The internal temperature rises rapidly, 

 and the animal wears a dejected aspect. As the disease progresses, the 

 breathing becomes more and more difficult and the lungs consolidated or 

 else gangrenous, and death ensues. 



Treatment. — As with the other inflammatory disorders of the respiratory 

 tract counter-irritation with mustard, applied early, is usually good treat- 

 ment, but many eminent practitioners prefer hot compresses around the 

 chest, and special appliances are made for the purpose similar to those 

 referred to in connection with sprains of the lumbar region (see page 527). 

 A sheet dipped in hot water and wrung out quickly may be applied with a 

 sufficient covering of other materials to prevent rapid evaporation. Pure 

 air, and that as cool as the circumstances permit, should be obtained while 

 clothing the body and bandaging the extremities to keep up the circulation. 

 To reduce the temperature of the body and the frequency of the pulse while 

 increasing its force will be the chief object of any medicines prescribed. 

 Aconite and digitalis have the reputation of bringing about this desirable 

 result, and three or four doses may be given at intervals of as many hours, 

 but they are not remedies to be persisted in for any length of time, and a 

 change may be made to belladonna and nitrate of potash. Bicarbonate 

 of potash may be given in the drinking water, or salicylate of soda, but 

 in this way of giving medicines care must be exercised to dissolve the 

 medicament in only just so much water as the horse will drink, or he 

 will never get two doses of equal proportion. 



If the application of mustard is quickly followed by the usual results it 



