172 DISEASES OF THE LUNGS. 



winded ; since, by attention to feeding him, lie might be 

 got to do his work." 



The ordinary, if not invariable precursor of the 

 disease is cough. Nothing is more common than to hear 

 connoisseurs observe that ''such a horse has a broken-winded 

 cough f' and too often this turns out to be a truthful pre- 

 diction. The cough has that character in its low sound 

 and imperfect development which seems to indicate want 

 of power in the organs producing it. It is not quite a 

 broken- winded cough, but has a great similitude thereto. The 

 thickening so often observable in the bronchial membrane 

 might give rise, if in an irritable condition, to cough ; but 

 it would not occasion a broken-winded cough. No : the 

 probability is, the changes causing broken- wind are already 

 beginning — there probably already exists slight or limited 

 rupture of air-cell, the amplification or extension of which 

 it is that becomes necessary to the full symptomatic develop- 

 ment of the disease. 



Turning a horse out to straw-yard, where his keep 

 consists of straw and rubbishing hay, is another alleged 

 source of broken- wind, — a situation where he would not be 

 able to break his wind in the manner described by Cole- 

 man. Having his water before him, he would not be 

 likely to distend his body with drink ; neither would he 

 exert himself, or be likely to cause himself any pulmonary 

 lesion. It is, therefore, difficult rather to explain this 

 case, supposing all the circumstances be correctly stated. 

 "Nimrod" (the late Mr. Apperley) has stated there are 

 few or no broken-winded horses in France ; and, on the 

 authority of Mr. Gloag, I may add, that, in India, where 

 the horses live on grass torn up by the roots, broken-wind 

 is a disease hardly known. Mr. Gloag asks, " Was ever 

 a case of broken-wind known among horses that had never 

 left the grass-field?" 



It is difficult or impossible to reconcile these 

 facts as they stand. Perhaps the surest way of coming 

 to some understanding concerning them, is, to add as 

 many more of any value as we are enabled to collect to 



