578 



RPOEADIC DISEASES. 



exercise, and can be heard at a considerable distance from the 

 animal, causing the horse to be termed a " high blower." This 

 sound is generally much greater when the animal is gently 

 trotted or cantered than in the gallop, and is louder in the 

 expiratory than in the inspiratory act. The increase of sound 

 arises from flapping or crackling of the nostrils, and has no 

 connection with any disease. " It arises," says General Sir 

 Frederick Fitzwygram, " from powerful muscular development 

 in the part. If a horse so formed be pushed to its speed and 

 continued for some time, it will be seen that it can intermit the 

 noise at its will ; and when it really becomes distressed at its 

 pace it will have something else to do than flap about its 

 nostrils, and the sound will then cease altogether." — {Horses 

 and SlaUes) I have repeatedly observed that some horses will 

 emit this sound when they are first put into training after 

 resting for a while, but when they are brought into condition 

 the sound entirely ceases, and I have thought that the sound 

 was due to flaccidity of the dilatorcs nares muscles. In other 

 horses, again, high blowing is due to a natural narrowness of the 

 nostrils and nasal passages. It never seems to interfere with 

 the horse's usefulness, and, consequently, is not to be considered 

 an unsoundness. 



Snoring is diagnostic of polypus, thickening of the Schnei- 

 derian membrane, or some other obstruction to the passage of 

 air through the nasal chambers. 



A snuflling sound indicates some disease, accompanied by 

 discharge from the nose, as purpura, glanders, catarrh, &c. 



Whistling may be due to a tumefied condition of the Schnei- 

 derian membrane. This is, however, rare, and may be mistaken 

 for a sound arising in the larynx or even in the lungs, which 

 sometimes so retains its force within the nasal chambers as to 

 lead one to think it originates there. Auscultation of the several 

 parts will, however, enable the practitioner to determine where 

 the sound originates. 



Sneezing or snorting indicates an irritable condition of the 

 Schneiderian membrane, and is present in many cases in the early 

 stages of catarrh. Sometimes I have seen it very persistent 

 after the subsidence of the catarrhal symptoms, or existing 

 independently of any apparent disease, coming on in paroxysms 

 when the animal has been at work. One fit of sneezin<x has 



