••^•'>G THE JI EMBRACE OF THE XOSE. 



turns to its natural form, once more projecting its convexity into tlie tliornx. 

 The abdoniiual muscles, also, wliicli had been put on the stretch by tlie 

 forcing of the -viscera into the posterior part of the abdomen, by means of 

 the straightening of the diaphragm, contract and accelerate the return of 

 that muscle to its quiescent figure ; and the ribs, all armed with elastic 

 cartilages, regain their former situation and figure. The muscles of the 

 shoulder and the chest relax, a portion of the lungs are pressed on every 

 side, and the air with -which they were distended is again forced out. There 

 is only one set of muscles actively employed in expiration, namely, the ab- 

 dominal ; the elasticity of the parts displaced in insprt-ation being almost 

 sufficient to accomplish the purpose. 



The lungs, however, are not altogether passive. The bronchial tubes, 

 so far as they can be traced, are lined with cartilage, di^-ided and subdi- 

 vided for the purpose of folding up when the lungs are compressed, but 

 elastic enough to afford a yielding resistance against both unusual expan- 

 sion and contraction. In their usual state the air-tubes are distended 

 beyond their natural calibre ; for if the parietes of the thorax are per- 

 forated, and the pressure of the atmosphere rendered equal within and 

 without them, the lungs immediately collapse, 



THE MEMBRANE OF THE NOSE. 

 The mucous membrane of the nose is distinguished from other mucous 

 surfaces, not only by its thickness, but its vascularity. The blood-vessels 

 are likewise superficial ; they are not covered even by integument, but 

 merely by a mucous coat. They are deeper seated, indeed, than in the 

 human being, and they are more protected from injury ; and therefore there 

 is far less ha3morrhage from the nostril of the horse than from that of the 

 lumian being, whether spontaneous or accidental. Lying immediately 

 under the mucous coat, these vessels give a peculiar, and, to the horseman, 

 a most important tinge to the membrane, and particularly observable on 

 the septum.^ They present him with a faithful indication of the state of 

 the circulation, and especially in the membranes of the other respiratory 

 passages with, which this is continuous. 



The horseman and the veterinary surgeon do not possess many of the 

 auxiliaries of the human practitioner. Their patients are dumb ; they 

 can neither tell the seat nor the degree of pain ; and the blunders of the 

 practitioner are frequently buried with the patient. Well, he must use 

 greater dihgence in availing himself of the advantages he does possess ; 

 and he has some, and very important ones too. The varying hue of the 

 Schneiderian membrane is the most important of all ; and, with regard to 

 the most frequent and fatal diseases of the horse — those of the respiratory 

 passages — it gives almost all the information with regard to the state of 

 the cii'culation in those parts that can possibly be required. Veterinarians 

 too generally overlook this. It has not yet been sufficiently taught in our 

 schools, or inculcated in our best works on the pathology of the horse. 



It is the custom with almost every horseman who takes any pains to 

 ascertain the state of his patient to turn down the lower eye-lid, and to 

 form his opinion of the degree of general inflammation by the colour 

 which the lining membrane of the lid presents. If it is very red, he con- 

 cludes that there is considerable fever ; if it is of a pale pinkish hue, there 

 is comparatively httle danger. This is a very important examination, and 

 the conclusion which he draws from it is generally ti'ue ; but on the sep- 

 tum of the nose he has a membrane more immediately continuous with 

 those of the respiratory organs, more easily got at, presenting a larger 

 surface, the ramifications of the blood-vessels better seen, and what is 

 truly important, indicating not only the general affection of the membi\anes, 

 but of those -^vith which he is most of all concerned. 



