118 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



ferent success. Blistering or firing over the laiynx is, of course, not 

 worthy of trial if the disease is due to interference of the nerve sup- 

 ply. The administration of strychnia (nux vomica) on the ground 

 that it is a nerve tonic with the view of stimulating the affected mus- 

 cles is treating only the result of the disease without considering the 

 cause, and is therefore useless. The operation of extirpating the col- 

 lapsed cartilage and vocal cord is believed to be the only relief, and, 

 as this operation is critical and can only be performed by the skillful 

 veterinarian, it will not be described here. 



From the foregoing description of the disease it will be seen that the 

 name "roaring," by which the disease is generally known, is only a 

 symptom and not the disease. Chronic roaring is also in man}' cases 

 accompanied I)}' a cough. The best waj' to test whether a horse is a 

 "roarer" is either to make him pull a load rapidly up a hill or over a 

 sandy road or soft ground; or, if he is a saddle horse, gallop him up 

 a hill or over soft ground. The ol)ject is to make him exert himself. 

 Some horses require a great deal more exertion than others before the 

 characteristic sound is emitted. The greater the distance he is forced, 

 the more he will appear exhausted if he is a roarer; in bad cases the 

 animal becomes utterly exhausted, the breathing is rapid and difficult, 

 the nostrils dilate to the fullest extent, and the animal appears as if 

 suffocation was imminent. 



An animal that is a roarer should not be used for breeding purposes. 

 The taint is transmissible in many instances. 



Grunting. — A common test used hj veterinarians when examining 

 " the wind" of a horse is to see if he is a "grunter." This is a sound 

 emitted during expiration when the animal is suddenly moved, or 

 startled, or struck at. . If he grunts he is further tested for roaring. 

 Grunters are not always roarers, but, as it is a common thing for a 

 roarer to grunt, such an animal must be looked upon with suspicion 

 until he is thoroughly tried b}^ pulling a load or galloped up a hill. 

 The test should be a severe one. Horses suffering with pleurisy, 

 pleurodj'nia, or rheumatism, and other affections accompanied with 

 much pain, will grunt when moved, or when the pain is aggravated, 

 but grunting under these circumstances does not justif}' the term of 

 "grunter" being applied to the horse, as the grunting ceases when the 

 animal recovers from the disease that causes the pain. 



High hlmoing. — This term is applied to a nois}' l)reathing made l)y 

 some horses. It is distinctlj^ a nasal sound, and must not be con- 

 founded with "roaring." The sound is produced by the action of the 

 nostrils. It is a habit and not an unsoundness. Contrary to roaring, 

 when the animal is put to severe exertion the sound ceases. An animal 

 that emits this sound is called a "high-blower." Some horses have, 

 naturally, very narrow nasal openings, and they may emit sounds 

 louder than usual in their breath insr when exercised. 



