294 CIIROXIC COUGH, 



most numerous iustances of phthisis occur in those poor persecuted animals 

 that are worn-out before their time, and they are fi-equent enough among 

 cavahy horses after the deprivations and fatigues of a long campaign. 



What is the medical treatment of confirmed phthisis ? The practitioner 

 must be guided by circumstances. If the horse is not very bad, and it is 

 the spring of the year, a run at grass may be tried. It will generally 

 seem to renovate the animal, but the apparent amelioration is too often 

 treacherous. It should always be tried, for it is the best foundation for 

 other treatment. The summer, however, having set in, the medicinal 

 efiect of the grass ceases, and the flies tease and irritate the animal. 



The medical treatment, if any is tried, should consist of counter-irritants ; 

 they Avill rarely do harm. They should be applied in the form of blisters, 

 extending over the sides, and thus bi"0Ught as near as possible to the 

 affected part. 



Sedative tnedicines should be perseverlngly administered ; belladonna 

 should be given in small doses, and the strength of the constitution main- 

 tained by a continued exhibition of tonic medicine. Nitre may be added 

 as a diuretic, and pulvis antimonialis as a diaphoretic. 



The tonic effect of mild and nutritious food — green meat of almost every 

 kind (carrots particularly), mashes, and now and then a malt mash — will be 

 found of great service. Nothing further than this ? We may try, but 

 very cautiously, those tonics which stimulate the digestive system yet 

 comparatively little affect the cii'culatory one. Small doses of ginger and 

 gentian may be given, but should be carefully watched, and omitted if 

 the flanks should heave more, or the cough be aggravated ; but the safest 

 tonic that can be had recourse to is the sulphate of iron, commonly known 

 as green vitriol ; half an ounce of this may be given, dissolved in the water, 

 morning and evening. 



The treatment of phthisis is a most unsatisfactory subject of considera- 

 tion as it regards the practice of the veterinarian. If after the human 

 being has been subjected to medical treatment, for a long course of time 

 and at very considerable expense, he so far recovers that Kfe is rendered 

 toler-ably comfortable to him, he and his connections are thankful and 

 satisfied, and he will submit to many a ])rivation in order to ward ofi" the 

 retu.rn of a disease, to which he is conscious there will ever be a strong 

 predisposition ; but the case is different with the horse, and this, the 

 scope and bound of the human practitioner's hope, is worthless to the 

 veterinarian. His patient must not only live but must be sound again. 

 Every energy, every capability, must be restored. Can we cause tho 

 tubercles to be absorbed ? Can we disperse or dispel the hepatisation ? 

 Can we remodel the disorganised structure of the lungs ? Our considera- 

 tion, then, will be chiefly directed to the detection of the disease in its 

 earliest state, and the allaying of the irritation which causes or accom- 

 panies the growth of the tubercles. This must be the scope and bound 

 of the veterinarian's practice — always remembering that the owner should 

 be forewarned of the general hopelessness of the case, and that the con- 

 tinuance of his efforts should be regulated by the wish of the proprietor 

 and the value of the patient. 



CHRONIC COUGH. 



It would occupy more space than can be devoted to this part of our 

 subject to treat of all the causes of obstinate cough. The irritability of 

 so great a portion of the air-passages, occasioned by pre\aous and violent 

 inflammation of them, is the most frequent. It is sometimes connected 

 with worms. There is much sympathy between the lungs and the intes- 

 tines, and the one readily participates in the irritation produced in the 



