122 DISEASES OF THE LUNGS. 



and simultaneous suppuration of masses of these tubercles^ 

 that large abscesses form within the lungs, and discharge 

 their contents into some of the bronchial tubes, leaving 

 cavities or caverns with irregular or anfractuous interiors, 

 which Laennec has designated tuberculous excavations. 

 More commonly, however, the tubercles suppurate indi- 

 vidually, producing what are called vomicce, that is, small 

 abscesses in various parts of the lung. The other kind, the 

 large yellovr, or cream-coloured, or speckled, cheesy tubercle — 

 that of Laennec^s, resulting from infiltration — is also very 

 often found in horses^ lungs, and after pneumonia oftener 

 than after phthisis; a circumstance which induces us to 

 regard it as one of the remote consequences of inflammation: 

 indeed, it appears ordinarily to supervene upon the morbid 

 states of hepatization and induration ; whereas, in the case 

 of miliary tubercles, we are as often at a loss to account for 

 their production as we are to ascertain their presence, it 

 being well known that they may exist in a sort of dormant 

 state in the lungs for years, without occasioning any disorder 

 or apparent inconvenience to the animal. This need not 

 excite surprise after perusing the following case : — 



Mr. Hales, V.S., of Oswestry, was some years ago 

 attending a cart-mare for a festered foot, and found it 

 necessary to administer a second — she having already taken 

 one — dose of physic. The day after this last dose, she 

 died. She had not been dead above two hours when 

 Mr. H., paying his usual visit, astonished at the event, was 

 told in addition, and not very good-humouredly, that his 

 physic had killed her. He inquired if it had purged her ? 

 The reply was, '^^No ; it had not operated at all." Mr. H. 

 then very properly proceeded to examine the mare. ^' Her 

 chest being opened, the mystery was unravelled. It w^as 

 deluged with pus ; and there were then in the lungs several 

 large abscesses, one of which contained at least a quart of 

 pus. The case was plain enough — a large abscess within 

 the lungs had burst, and suffocated the mare." '' The 

 gentleman to whom she belonged declared he always 

 believed the mare to be as sound as any horse he had in his 



