GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. 41 



heard at a sliglit distance from the animal, is not, however, to be 

 regarded as symptomatic of disease of the respiratory organs 

 only, for in many acute diseases the breathing not only becomes 

 quickened, but laboured and difficult to an extreme degree. 



Difficult breathing must always be regarded as a symptom of 

 importance, not only as being diagnostic of certain diseases, but 

 as indicating grave alterations in the condition of the blood or 

 in the functions of the nervous system. Diseases are also 

 seriously aggravated, and a tendency to a fatal termination, 

 owing to the non-oxidation of the blood, is augmented by difficult 

 breathing. 



(c.) Stertorous breathing (Snoring). — This arises from a relaxed 

 state of the velum palati, and is a symptom of brain disease. So 

 long as the respiratory movements are strong and frequent, it 

 does not indicate immediate danger, but when the respiratory 

 powers are impaired, the movements slow — tliat of inspiration 

 delayed, and then performed with a sudden noise and a jerking 

 effort, and the susceptibility to outward impressions diminished 

 — stertorous breathing is a symptom of the near approach of 

 death. Snoring, so common an accomplishment in the human 

 being during sleep, is but rarely so in the lower animals. 



(d.) Abdominal breathing, or respiratory movements performed 

 with the ribs fixed as much as possible, owing to pain or 

 mechanical obstruction in the chest, is a symptom of pleurisy, 

 hydro-thorax, and pleurodynia. 



(e.) Thoracic breathing is that in which the abdominal 

 muscles are prevented from participating to their natural extent 

 in the performance of the respiratory movements. This condi- 

 tion is dependent upon abdominal tumours of great magnitude, 

 ascites, tympanitis, or acute abdominal — peritoneal — jp^ii^* 



(/.) Irregular breathing is that condition where there is a want 

 of harmonious correspondence between the inspiratory and 

 expiratory movements, and is seen in the disease wliich is com- 

 monly known as " broken wind." The inspiratory movement in 

 this affection is performed quickly and with a jerky effort, whilst 

 the expiratory is performed slowly and with a double action, 

 more particularly of the abdominal muscles. Irregular breath- 

 ing often becomes spasmodic or convulsive during the paroxysms 

 of the disease. — (See Broken Wind.) 



Of the phenomena and sounds wliich attend the respiratory 



