PNEUMONIA. — INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 287 



pus increases ; the cyst becomes more and more distended ; it encroaches 

 on the substance of the lungs ; it comes into contact with other vomicoe, 

 and the walls opposed to each other are absorbed by their mutual pressure; 

 they run together, and form one cyst, or regular excavation, and this 

 sometimes proceeds until a considerable portion of the lung is, as it were, 

 hollowed out. By and by, however, the vomicas press upon some bronchial 

 passage ; the cyst gives way, and the purulent contents are poured into 

 the bronchiiB, and got rid of by the act of coughing. At other times the 

 quantity is too great to be thus disposed of, and the animal is suffocated. 

 Occasionally it will break through the pleuritic covering of the lung, and 

 pour its contents into the thorax. 



Abscesses may form in the lungs undiscovered. — It is scarcely con- 

 ceivable to what extent they sometimes exist in animals of slow work, 

 without being detected by the usual means of examination. Mr. Hales 

 says that he gave a physic ball to a cart-mare with a bad foot, and she 

 soon afterwards died suddenly. When inquiring as to the cause of death, 

 he was told, and not very good-humouredly, that his physic had killed her. 

 He asked, if it had purged her violently ? ' ISTo !' it was replied, ' it had not 

 operated at all.' She was opened, and the mystery was all unravelled. 

 The thorax was deluged with pus, and there were then in the lungs several 

 large abscesses, one of which contained at least a quart of pus. The mare 

 had not shown a symptom of chest affection, and the gentleman to whom 

 she belonged declared that he had believed her to be as sound as any horse 

 he had in his possession. 



The resolution or gradual abatement of inflammation is the termination 

 most to be desned in this disease, for then the engorgement of the 

 vessels will gradually cease, and the thickening of the membrane and the 

 interstitial deposit be taken up, and the effusion into the cells likewise 

 absorbed, and the lungs will gradually resume their former cellular texture, 

 yet not perfectly ; for there will be some induration, slight but general ; or 

 some more perfect induration of certain parts ; or the rupture of some of 

 the air-cells ; or an irritability of membrane predisposing to renewed 

 inflammation. The horse Avill not always be as useful as before ; there 

 may be chronic cough, thick wind, broken wind ; but these merit distinct 

 consideration ; and, for the present, we proceed to the treatment of 

 pneumonia. 



Our treatment will much depend upon the causes in operation producing 

 the disease, and the progress it has made. K the animal be only in the 

 early stage, every means should be adopted to encourage the circulation ; 

 a diffusible stimulant, such as one or two ounces of the spirit of nitric ether 

 combined with eight ounces of the liquor ammonise acetatis, the ammonia 

 being in excess, should be at once administered, a mustard liniment well 

 rubbed on the bosom and sides, and great attention paid to keeping the 

 external surface of the body warm. If the symptoms of inflammation 

 appear to increase by the pulse rising to seventy or eighty per minute, and 

 the breathing being increased and laboured, more active treatment must 

 be adopted. We must bear in mind that there is inflammation of that 

 organ through which all the blood in the frame passes — that organ most 

 of all subject to congestion. Then nothing can be so important as to 

 lessen the quantity of blood which the heart is endeavouring to force 

 through the minute vessels of the lungs, distended, irritated, breaking. 

 Immediate recourse must be had to the lancet, and the stream of blood 

 must be suffered to flow on until the pulse falters, and the animal bears 

 heavy upon the pail. The blood must be exti-acted as quickly as possible, 

 and the lancet should be broad-shouldered and the orifice large. This is 

 the secret of treating inflammation of a vital organ. The disease is 



