BRONCHITIS. C09 



disturbance and accelerated breathing of the acute stage, that 

 they succumbed in from fourteen to thirty days afterwards from 

 gangrene of the collapsed lungs, or putrefaction of the fluid 

 incarcerated in the bronchi and air cells ; both of these conditions 

 being expressed by foetor of thte breath, exhaustive diarrhoea, 

 metastatic inflammations of the articulations and feet, complete 

 loss of appetite, rapid emaciation, fluttering pulse ; at first great 

 elevation of temperature — 106° F. or more ; partial sweats upon 

 the body, gasping respiration, some abdominal pain, and other 

 signs of general septicaemia. 



In no case of pure bronchitis is the breathing painful, but 

 short and quick, the thoracic as well as the abdominal muscles 

 being brought into full play; this distinguishes it from the 

 breathing characteristic of pleurisy, in which the ribs are more 

 or less fixed and the respirations abdominal. In ordinary cases 

 of bronchitis the animal is dull, listless, sometimes semi-comatose ; 

 hangs its head; is generally thirsty; ropy saliva fills the mouth, 

 which is hot and moist. The visible mucous membranes are 

 injected, and present a varying degree of lividity, due to non- 

 oxidation of the blood. The animal stands in a corner or moves 

 listlessly about. If in a box, and the door be open, it stands 

 with its head to the open air, from which it evidently obtains 

 relief. The bowels are generally somewhat constipated, the 

 fffices covered with mucus, but they easily respond to purgatives, 

 showing that the alimentary mucous membrane participates 

 in the irritation. The urine is high-coloured, scanty, and if 

 examined will be found to contain urea, mucus, and colouring 

 matter in excess, and the chlorides in diminished quantities. 



As already stated, bronchitis of the larger tubes is not ordinarily 

 a fatal disease, but when affecting the smaller bronchi and alveoli, 

 particularly if associated with a profuse discharge of a yellowish 

 coloured, more or less tenacious fluid, which occludes the smaller 

 bronchi and air cells, it is the most fatal chest disease that the 

 author is acquainted with. This tendency to gravitation of the 

 catarrhal fluid is explained by the fact that the columnar and 

 ciliated epithelium are shed in the earlier stage of the attack, and 

 take no part whatever in the after changes which ensue. It is 

 never seen again till the signs of acute inflammation, such as 

 distension of the vessels and oedema of the basement membrane, 

 have passed off. Subsequently it is gradually reproduced. 



2 P. 



