36 niSEASES OF THE LUJSGS. CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOI>. 



tin ued awhile, and reduced the animal's strength, he is said to bo in a ron 

 <»umption; "worn out" is also a common y)hrase, as is "rotten;" " dcbilitaten, ' 

 and "done for," stand a little higher in gentility ; but all mean, that there is 

 small chance of his recovery. 



Pulmonary consumption is the only kind which may be attributed to con- 

 stitutional defect ; i. e. heated blood, with viscidity, causing over-much action 

 of the parts (see section 32), when the pulse becomes powerful and quickened, 

 and the horse seems anxious and fearful. Should it subside by judicious treat- 

 ment, or the natural strength of the horse, he commonly retains so much of it9 

 effects, as to cause great danger whenever he may catch cold, or be worked 

 too hard. This attack is too frequently neglected, or put off with the remark, 

 "only a little touched in the wind," unless by the addition of a cold, the dis- 

 order comes on rapidly, when it is termed " inflammation of the lungs," and 

 the animal goes off in four or five days, if he be not promptly relieved. On 

 dissection, the [)arts are found spotted with a livid colour, and evident gan- 

 grene; every variation indeed, is equally af)palling to humanity, and I have 

 often wondered how the horse could have lived an hour under such horrid 

 circumstances. 



A cold, simply, or catarrh, commences by inflammation of the lining of the 

 windpipe, which may bo confined to some given ])art of it, or extends itself 

 generally from the nostrils to the lungs both inclusive, much resembling "a 

 cold" in man ; in either case, much matter is secreted, and thrown off by 

 snorting: when the attack is confined to the upper part of the pipe, and lasts 

 some time, the horse becomes a confirmed roarer, his groan bearing great re- 

 semblance to the roar of some wild animals, and he is equally incurable. 



Chronic cough is that obstinate cough which remains and plagues the horse 

 long after vain attempts at curing his cold ought to have taught his tormentors 

 ♦.he inutility of their endeavours and the dishonesty of their prescriptions. 

 Broken wind is of two sorts; the first is caused by the rupture of the air cells 

 of the lungs by over exertion, in which the expiration being slower than the 

 inspiration, he is, aptly enough, said to be "broken winded ;" the second kind 

 of broken wind is known by a breathing the direct contrary, and is occasioned 

 by the cold having settled upon the perforations of the branches, and enlarged 

 them, so that the air escapes too readily. Thick wind, on the other hand, arises 

 from the secretion of the pipe getting into the cells of the lungs, and affecting 

 the orifices or perforations by thickening them, so that the air passes through 

 with difficulty. Similar symptoms attend inflammation of the pleura (section. 

 15), particularly when it reaches to the mediastinum, or double part ; as they 

 do when the muscular border of the midriff is affected. But these, though 

 perhaps considered two different diseases at the commencement, in the horse, 

 very shortly become one common affection, more or less, of all the organs of 

 respiration; inflammation predominates over the whole series; and if the per- 

 formance of his duties does not render them fatal, an injudicious treatment will 

 fix upon him an incurable disorder, until the knife terminates his usefulness. 



Lafosse, junior, observes, that " flat-chested horses, are almost always subject 

 to consumption, whilst (again") consumption narrows the capacity of the chest, 

 and re-produces itself — there is no remedy for misconstruction." He further 

 says, " Short wind is either produced by disorders of the chest, or it is a fault 

 of construction, and both are irremediable. Such a horse is generally of less 

 use than one that is thick-winded." 



37. The circulation of the blood is carried on through all parts of tho 

 'H>dy, to which it affords the means of life and health ; or, being ill performed, 

 IS the fruitful source of lingering, obstinate and incurable diseases, some 

 whereof almost baffle our skill and care; and, while they induce us to admit 

 rhat the practice of veterinary physic never will reach i»crfectioii, inspire the 



