28 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



The lungs serve for the purpose of purifying the blood. In 

 examining as to the state of the lungs there are various 

 methods by which the presence of disease may be detected. 



Auscultation. — In health, on applying the ear to the 

 sides of the thorax there may be heard a soft breezy sound, 

 which is increased by excitement or exertion, and decreased 

 by quietude ; this may be called the vesicular murmur. 



Percussion. — By percussion is understood striking upon 

 the surface; the fingers, or an instrument known as a 

 I)leximeter, being used for the purpose. The healthy part 

 will yield a resonant sound upon being struck, and the 

 diseased part yields sounds of various kinds. 



Palpation, or touching, as in pleurisy. If you press upon 

 the intercostal spaces the animal will evince pain. 



We have bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, etc., occurring 

 in connection with the lungs. In very many diseases 

 affecting the chest, the lungs, pleura, bronchi, etc., become 

 by sympathy more or less affected — post-mortem examina- 

 tions prove this. In connection with the larger bronchial 

 tubes we have a snoring sound in disease ; this sound is 

 known as the rhonchus rale. 



Sibilus. — This sound may be described as a whistling 

 sound, and, when present, indicates more or less irritation 

 in connection with the smaller bronchial tubes ; the sounds 

 change more or less according to the nature and severity of 

 the disease, and different sounds are produced during differ- 

 ent stages of the same disease, as, for instance, during the 

 first stage of bronchitis the sound may be dry, while 

 during the latter stages, when the mucous membranes 

 are actively discharging, the sound becomes moist. 



CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS. 



The lungs are supplied with blood by two sets of blood- 

 vessels, known as the nutritive and functional bloodvessels; 



